Pretend Or Surrender
by Lady Livia
Summary: Reno's loyalty has always been one of his best qualities. When ShinRa offered him a job with the condition of cutting all ties with his past life on the streets of Midgar, he tried his best. However, loyalty can pull you in many directions. ShinRa employees are getting attacked on the streets. It won't be long before chaos breaks loose.
1. Chapter 1

Pretend Or Surrender

Chapter One

Reno closed his eyes, letting the hot water from the shower fall without challenge onto the back of his neck. Sweeping his hair to one side, he let out a soft groan of contentment when he felt the hot water begin to loosen the muscles in his shoulders and back. Reaching a hand out, he let it rest against the cool tiles of the shower, keeping his balance as he rolled his shoulders, his eyes still closed as the water washed over him. Eventually, he tipped his head back letting the water plaster his hair to his scalp. Rubbing his hands over his face, he smiled. He had the rest of the evening off, and then tomorrow as well.

Feeling lighter at the prospect of some free time, Reno picked up the soap ad began to lather himself. He watched the swirl of grit and blood spiral down the drain along with the soap bubbles and wondered vaguely just how much money the soap companies made from Turks alone. He was fairly certain they went through more soap than nearly anyone. He'd have to ask Rude how many bars he went through a week.

When he'd gotten himself sufficiently clean, Reno stepped out of the shower, wrapping his towel around his waist. He wiped the fog off the bathroom mirror and blinked at his reflection. He looked pale. Well, he always looked pale, but with his hair flattened to his head and wet his skin looked even paler. His light freckles stood out more clearly and he could practically see the veins through his skin. He was tired. He felt it and he looked it. Letting out a huff, he straightened himself up and dried himself off.

When he'd gotten dressed and spent a good amount of time styling his hair, Reno grabbed his old jacket as he headed for the door. Smiling softly as he pulled the jacket on, Reno felt himself relax at the familiar feel of it. His jacket was the only thing he still owned from his days living on the street before ShinRa had given him a job. When he'd been offered employment with ShinRa, one of the conditions had been that he sever all ties with his past life. Connections like that would make him weak. Vulnerable. ShinRa would not allow that, and so he was to start afresh. Reno had done so as best he could. With the exception of the Jacket. He'd loved this jacket and he didn't think it was such a big deal if he kept it. He did, afterall, need something to wear when he wasn't in his uniform.

Stepping out on to the street, Reno headed in the direction of the other thing he had been unable to leave in his past. His friend, Aura.

While Rufus mightn't mind much if he discovered that Reno had kept his old jacket, he would be more than furious if he discovered that he'd kept contact with his friend. More than kept contact. When Reno had gotten work with ShinRa, he'd gotten Aura off the streets. He'd found her somewhere to live and he'd supported her with his paycheque. Every time he had a few days off, he would take her some money. It wasn't much as he had to be careful that nobody would notice large chunks of money being taken from his account regularly, but it was enough for Aura to buy food and other necessities. ShinRa may have taken him off the street and taught him a few new things, but he still had his own code of honour. He and Aura had taken care of each other on the street back then, so when he had gotten out of there, there was no way he was just going to abandon her. That just wasn't the way things worked. Reno may not have had all the fancy morals that some other people had, but he had loyalty. Loyalty was the basis of everything for Reno, and his loyalty to Aura would not see him leave her on the streets alone.

When he got to the part of town he'd gotten Aura a house in, he turned the collar of his jacket up and looked carefully around. It wouldn't do to have anybody recognise him here. Reno walked up the quiet street, trying to look inconspicuous. He hoped Aura would be home. Flicking a glance at his watch, he bit his lip, thinking. He should have let her know he was coming. She could still easily be down at the market. If she could afford anything that was . She still should have some money left. It hadn't been quite a month since he'd last gone to see her and had taken her the usual bag of Gil he gave her.

He pulled out his phone and thought about calling her to see if she were home, but caught himself before he did. He didn't want to leave any kind of evidence that he still had contact with her. Putting it back in his pocket, he continued up the street towards Aura's house. When he arrived, Reno knocked on the front door and waited silently. He looked up the street, his eyes seeing far more than anyone observing him would suspect. Hearing a small noise behind the door, he turned back around. Seeing a slight ruffle in the curtains in the window, he knew Aura was doing as he had told her, and was checking who was on her doorstep before she opened the door to them. He looked at her when she then did open the door.

"Reno." She smiled. He smiled back. "I didn't expect you for weeks yet."

"I have some time off." He said, moving into the house as she stepped back to allow him to enter. He smiled again and he looked back up the street quickly before she shut the door.

"The curtains." He said.

"I did as you told me... I checked before I let you in."

"I know... I saw you."

She blinked, "Oh."

"If I was someone who intended you harm, I would have forced my way inside once I had proof you were here."

"Okay."

"So, you must look out the window without being seen, yo." He moved to the curtain and demonstrated. "Don't touch the curtain... and make sure you do it from the side of the window furthest from the door." He looked at her. "Also, it's probably a good idea to bend down a bit when you so... different heights and all."

"Okay..."

He looked at her and stopped, seeing her biting her lip. "I don't mean to unsettle you..." he said, wrapping an arm around her. She hugged him and he held her firmly.

"I know. Thank you." She murmured.

"So, I brought somefood." He smiled, trying to lighten the mood. She grinned.

"I do have food here..."

"I know... I also brought wine."

"Oh, I see."

"I have some time off. Let's celebrate."

Aura nodded and headed into her small kitchen before coming back with two wine glasses. Reno set about opening the bottle and pouring them some wine, before sitting down on her old couch. Moving a cushion from beneath himself, he blinked at it.

"This is new." He looked at her. She smiled and nodded. He blinked again, wondering how she had the money to pay for such things. She only had the small amount of money he brought her from his own salary from ShinRa. It wasn't much but it was enough to keep a roof over her head and food on her table. He'd always wished he could give her more, but he'd been afraid that a larger sum of money going missing from his account regularly would be noticed. As it was he was pleased that he'd gotten away with it for so long. He'd gotten himself an apartment that was smaller than he could afford, but still nice enough not to arouse suspicion, but he could still hardly believe that his co-workers and, more still, his boss, believed that he was drinking and whoring away so much already. Sure, sometimes he would go out for a drink, and sometimes, he'd even take a woman home for the night. If he could help it, though, she generally wasn't a prostitute. Reno didn't like to pay for it. Also, it made some memories from his life on the streets harder to forget.

He blinked yet again at the cushion in his hand, concerned now over what Aura was doing to be able to afford such things.

"You... can afford this?" he asked softly.

"I didn't use the money you gave me." She said. He closed his eyes. "I've been making some money of my own."

"If you need more, I can give you more." He said, sure he could figure out a way for that to work. He started to calculate how much more he could possibly get away with before Rufus began to wonder what he was throwing money at.

"No." She said, and he looked at her. "I've been selling some potions."

"Oh." He smiled.

"You thought I was whoring."

"Well..." he didn't know what to say and so fell silent.

"Reno, I... I couldn't do that..."

"I know." He ran a hand over the back of his neck. Back in their days on the street, he'd whored for the both of them so that she wouldn't have to. "I just... I know I don't give you much... and I wish I could... I want you to be able to make a home and buy random things like this... and I know you barely have enough for basic stuff..."

"Reno."

"Yeah..?" he murmured, looking at her.

"You do a wonderful job of taking care of me." She told him, "You don't even have to. Most people would have left me where they found me."

"You're my friend." He said, trying to shrug it off.

She nodded.

"So, these potions... They sell well...?"

"Sold ten so far..."

"How many have you made?"

"Ten."

He laughed, "Okay, so that's good progress. How much are you selling them for?"

"Fifty Gil."

"You could be selling them for more than that."

"The people around here don't have more than that." She replied, looking at him.

He nodded silently. "If you went to the market, in the centre of town...you could bump the price up a bit."

"I suppose so."

"As long as you were careful, I mean."

"Mhmm." She nodded and then smiled softly. "I want to open an Apothecary."

He looked at her, smiling widely. "That's a brilliant idea, Aur."

She took a sip of wine, smiling more broadly. "I can't believe you thought I was whoring."

"Sorry." He wrapped an arm around her, "I apologise." He watched her, wondering how the thought had even entered his mind. She knew what he'd done to keep her from that in the past. There was no way she would just do it now and make his sacrifices be for nothing. Looking at her now, he wondered if she'd even ever had a lover. He didn't think so. He would have known about it. He was sure of that. But then, he only visited her every couple of weeks... there was plenty of time for her to have a lover over that he would never encounter.

Not sure why he was gritting his teeth at the thought, Reno took a mouthful of wine and tried to relax, telling himself that he would find out about any threat to their security and make sure that it was no longer a threat.

"What's wrong?" her voice brought him out of his thoughts. "You suddenly got this really... intense... look on your face."

"Do you ever have... visitors... here?"

"Uh..." she blinked, "Sometimes..."

He tried to keep his face neutral. "... Who?"

"Maati." She blinked, "The old man who lives next door... sometimes, when he goes trading to other towns he brings me ingredients for my potions and stuff that I cannot get here easily. Sometimes, I have him over for dinner. He's alone since his wife died..."

"Ah." He nodded.

"Is that bad?" she looked at him and he thought about how lonely she must be here on her own.

"No." He shook his head, "That's not bad."

He made a mental note to have a talk with this Maati. If the man could be trusted, perhaps it could ease his own mind to have someone keeping an eye on Aura when he could not. Maybe the man could even tell him if she had a secret lover. Or, maybe Maati would make him as a Turk and Aura would be made vulnerable. He tried not to sigh.

"How about we have some dinner... " she said, getting up and heading back into the kitchen. He followed her and watched as she turned the oven on. "Come on, make yourself useful." She grinned, tossing vegetables at him. He smiled and took a knife from the drawer. He looked at it. It was good quality. Another purchase from the profit of her potion sales. An apothecary would need a good knife, he would assume. He quickly peeled the vegetables and made short work of cutting them up. He was, afterall, extremely skilled with a blade. He was finished well before Aura was done preparing the meat. When she was finished, she put it in the oven, and then looked at what he'd done.

"I can never get them all exactly the same size like that!" she complained. He just smiled, "Do they teach you how to cook at ShinRa?"

"Not exactly."

He watched the way her eyes moved over him, and then, as she always did when the discussion came too close to what he actually did for ShinRa, she changed the topic.

"The meat will take an hour, the rest can go in after half."

"Alright."

She then busied herself getting out plates and cutlery. He watched her set the table, silently wondering what it was that she had convinced herself he did for a living. Aura wasn't stupid. She knew that he worked for ShinRa, and she knew that he'd had to cut all ties with everything in his past to take the job. He wasn't certain if she knew he was a Turk specifically, as he had not told her that, but she seemed to suspect enough that whenever they came close to talking about anything relating to his work, she would back away. Or maybe, it was due to the growing hostility toward ShinRa employees on the streets lately. Maybe she thought that the less she knew, the better. He certainly agreed with that. He dreaded to think of the way she would look at him if she knew what he had done... what he did, just about every day... what he had been doing not four hours earlier. He was quite happy with Aura not knowing that he was a killer.

It wasn't that he enjoyed keeping a secret that big from her, it actually made him rather sad. Aura was his oldest friend. She knew things about him that nobody else did. The things they had endured on the streets together had formed a bond that he could only compare with the one he now shared with Rude. But he just didn't think he could take her horror or disappointment, or even disgust if she knew what he had become. He needed her. Her good opinion of him. That source of light she provided that comfort of knowing that no matter what unspeakable thing he did for ShinRa, she would be there for him to go to and forget it all. She had become something for him to protect, something pure, and he could not lose that

"Do you want more wine?"

He blinked, realising that she had finished setting the table and was now looking at him.

"Yeah." He followed her back into the living room and sat back on the couch once again. He filled their glasses and she turned the television on. Reno set a cushion comfortably on his lap as a news report on the latest riots in the towns flashed across the screen.

"Two more ShinRa employees killed..." Aura murmured. "Yesterday there were three..."

"I know." He said quietly.

"They're even attacking the families..." she turned to look at him. "Is that why you never come here in your uniform?"

"It's become part of the reason." He nodded, "But originally it was so nobody knew I'd kept contact with you..."

She nodded. "These attacks... has anyone had a go at you...?"

"No." He said firmly. He watched her accept that and nod.

"If they did...you'd be okay, right?" she asked. He looked at her, and she twisted her hands, clearly uncomfortable with what she wanted to ask, "I mean... you can fight, right?" she gave him a queer look. "Really well, right?"

"Yes."

She nodded and let out a soft breath. "Okay." She then smiled and leaned against him. "You always were fast..." she murmured, "It's cause you're so skinny."

He gave a soft laugh, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and watching the rest of the report.

When dinner was ready, they ate that in front of the TV and finished off the wine. Reno was watching the TV completely zoned out to everything until he'd finished his glass of wine and blinked slowly at it. "Hey Aur, I should have brought more wine..." he said, before turning to look at her and discovering that she was asleep. He grinned, looking at the way she was curled up against a cushion at the other end of the couch. "Aura," he nudged her leg, "Wake up, yo."  
She mumbled something and didn't move. He got to his feet and touched her shoulder gently. "Come on, go to bed..."

She groaned and opened an eye, looking up at him. "Go to bed." He grinned. She sat up, pushing her dark hair back.

"Kay..."

"Good."

"... Are you staying?" she murmured.

"Yeah. That okay?"

"Mmm." She nodded, getting up. "You need anything?"

"Nah, I know where stuff is."

"Mmm." She pushed her hair back again, "Okay..."

"'Night." He smiled as she staggered off for the hallway. He watched her bedroom door close and then he got a spare blanket from the cupboard and curled up on the couch. Yawning, he turned the TV off stretched out comfortably. Closing his eyes, he tried to work out a way to talk to that neighbour in the morning.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Aura awoke the next morning to silence. Yawning, she sat up, realising that Reno must still be asleep. She got dressed and went quietly out into the living room. Reno was sprawled across the couch, the blanket down around his hips and his vibrant hair splayed wildly across one of the cushions. She smiled and headed into the kitchen to start making breakfast.

She turned on the stove and got a frypan out. Not long later she was dishing out eggs and bacon onto two plates and carrying them into the living room. Reno was still asleep across her couch, so she nudged his foot. "Shift it, yo." She said loudly, sitting herself on his feet when he didn't move them immediately. He groaned and flailed a bit before eyeing her balefully.

"Unpleasant morning person." He muttered.

"Oi. Don't be mean. I made you food." She retorted, setting his plate on him. He sat up, looking at the plate with interest.

"Okay, better..."

"Thought so." She smiled, chewing on a piece of bacon.

They ate in silence for a few minutes before he stretched and she looked over at him. "What's your plan for today?" he asked.

"Gotta go get some stuff from the markets." She replied, licking some grease from her fingers.

"Can I come?"

"If you want..." she replied, "It's going to be boring... I just have to get some stuff for potions..."

"Are you kidding? That sounds fascinating..."

She eyed him. "Righto..." She watched him grin at her and return to cleaning his plate off. She then took the plates to the kitchen and washed the dishes quickly. "I'm just going to shower before we go..." she told him, heading back through the living room on her way to the bathroom.

* * *

"Take your time." He replied, folding the blanket he'd used during the night.

Reno put the blanket he'd used away and then listened until he heard the shower running. He then straightened himself in the mirror by the door and stepped outside. A quick glance at the neighbour's yard had him smiling. Perfect.

He strode across the yard to the fence separating the properties. The elderly man watering his garden looked his way and raised a hand in greeting.

"Morning, yo!" Reno called.

"Good Morning to you..."

Reno watched as the man approached the fence.

"You're Maati?" he asked, looking the man up and down surreptitiously. He was a portly man, Reno would have guessed him to be in his mid sixties. Still had most of his hair, and seemed to be able to move fairly easily.

"That's me."

"I'm Reno."

"You're Aura's friend..." Maati said, his pale blue eyes now looking Reno over critically.

"Yeah."

"I know about you."

"...what do you know?"

"I know you found her that house and that you help her out..."

"True."

Maati moved closer until he was standing right at the fence. "... what do you want?"

Reno nodded, he could appreciate wanting to get right to the point.

"Does Aura have any... other... friends... who visit her?"

"Men, you mean?"

"Men, women... whatever."

"Not that I've seen." Maati said, "Sometimes people come here looking for her to heal them, though."

"Does that happen often?" he asked, wondering if it were a good idea for people to know where she lived.

"Getting more common..." Maati mused, "Now that people are getting sick..."

"Okay..." he nodded, "So... she's okay...?" he looked at him, "I mean, when I'm not here...?"

"Seems well enough..." Maati looked long and hard at him. "I drop in on her from time to time... to see how she is."

"I appreciate that."

"I expect you don't get much time off..." Reno watched Maati look him over again, "It's a good idea... you not coming in uniform."

"Come again?" Reno asked, his face carefully neutral.

"You heard me, boy."

"I don't know what you're talking about, yo."

"Fine. But you keep in mind this neighbourhood wouldn't take kindly to any meddling by ShinRa."

"I would expect as much." He said simply.

"I don't care what you do as long as you take care of that girl in there." Maati gestured at Aura's house. Reno just nodded simply. "I'll watch her as best I can for you."

"Thank you." Reno backed away from the fence and Maati returned to watering his garden. Turning back to the house, Reno went inside.

"Hey," Aura said, coming into the living room, drying her hair with a towel. "You ready to go... or do you want to fix your hair..."

"Like I could go out in public looking like this..." he grinned, gesturing at his hair that was still looking like he'd just woken up.

"I dunno... could have been the look you were going for..."

"I think you know me better than that." He grinned, heading for the bathroom.

It wasn't long later that they were walking up the street to the small but busy market. "Oh..." he heard Aura murmur, before she was weaving off between people toward a stall with her basket. Reno blinked and tried to keep up. By the time he got there she was thanking the old woman running the stall and putting a small bag in her basket. She smiled at him, "Next."

"Okay." He replied, following her back into the crowd. He looked around, instinctively taking in everything from people entering the street from nearby side alleys to children running from stall to stall, weaving in between unsuspecting people who were not keeping a close enough eye on their purses.

They'd gone past three more stalls before Reno's eye caught on a group of four men having a hushed discussion on a nearby corner. He couldn't quite place what it was about them that caught his attention, or why just looking at them seemed to trigger a rush of adrenaline throughout him, but he couldn't shake the feeling at all. Seeing Aura heading right in their direction, he stepped quickly up beside her, putting an arm around her shoulder and gently steering her away from them. "Let's just go this way, yo." He said quietly. He watched her green eyes flick at the men and then up to him.

"What's wrong with them?"

"I dunno." He replied, "Just... something..."

"Okay." She nodded and then stopped at another stall. "I need some bottles for potions..." she said, directing her attention to the wares on display. Reno turned back to watch the men on the corner who seemed to now be arguing with one another, but trying to remain quiet enough not to make a scene. After a few moments, they turned and went down the alley and through some side door which was then slammed shut. Reno blinked, not knowing what to make of it. He then took Aura's basket from her as she bought some bottles and set them in the bottom of it.

"Oi."

"I'm helping." He replied easily.

"I'm perfectly capable..."

"Yes, but I feel useful now."

"Fine." She sighed, and he watched her try to resist a smile. "I need to get some fresh food."

"Okay." He followed her to a few more stalls, all the while looking back at that alley.

After Aura had visited all the stalls she needed to, they wandered slowly back up the street. Reno stopped to look at the building to which that door belonged. "Is this a bar?" he asked Aura who nodded. "... do they do lunches?"

"Not unless you want to get propositioned by half the whores in town." She murmured.

"I think I can handle the attentions of a few ladies." He grinned, seizing her hand and pulling her inside.

"Reno..." she complained.

"Yeah?" he looked at her. She sighed. "Ten minutes, I promise." He smiled.

"Okay." She sat at a small table and he headed off to order some drinks.

Leaning on the bar, Reno lounged comfortably, looking around the room and assessing everyone in it. When he did not see the four men from the street he eyed another door behind the bar, clearly leading further into the building. When the barkeeper came to take his order, he gave it easily, giving the man a friendly smile.

"Is there a bathroom for customers?" he asked lightly.

"Not during the day." The man replied after a moment.

"Ah."

"There's one down the street..."

"That's fine."

He nodded when the drinks were placed on the bar before him and he paid the man quickly before heading back to the table where Aura sat. He sat opposite her so that he could see the entire room. He passed her a glass and surveyed the room again.

"What are you doing?" She asked him simply. He looked at her to see her eyes narrowed slightly.

"Uh..."

"Yes?" she waited.

"I don't know, exactly."

"Right..."She nodded and he looked past her when the door behind the bar opened and the four men from the street came out. Laughing loudly as they made their way to a table in the far corner of the bar, they yelled orders to the barkeeper and Reno sat straighter, suddenly more alert as he watched them. "Reno," Aura leaned across the table toward him, "You're acting like you used to when somebody was gonna get knifed."

He closed his eyes and tried to relax. "I feel like... something is going on here."

"Like what?" she asked softly. He shook his head. "... Like... the attacks against ShinRa?" she whispered. He looked sharply at her.

"What?"

"There are rumours... that... meetings are held here..."

"Aura!" he hissed "Why didn't you tell me that...?"

"You didn't ask, yo." She replied, leaning back. "Also... I know you. I knew you'd come running down here to look..."

"So?"

"So, I didn't want you getting yourself killed." She said, staring at him.

"Aur..."

"Shut up, Reno." She cut him off and he blinked.

"Aur..."

"Shh!" She hissed, making some weird hand gesture that he stared at for a second until he realised that one of the men in the corner had gotten to his feet and was now calling to everyone in the bar to listen to him. Reno looked at him. He was of medium height, and was probably around Reno's own age.

"We're having a party tonight, boys!" he called and Reno blinked. "Anyone who wants to get involved needs to be back here at nine tonight!"

Aura shook her head slowly while Reno watched the room, noting those who cheered in response to the announcement. It was evident that some people in the bar understood the meaning behind the announcement more than others.

He watched as several women got up from their own seats at the bar and head across the room toward the men in the corner. "Oh, our big, strong heroes!" One simpered loudly.

"Yeah, baby." The one who had made the announcement replied, pulling her onto his lap. She giggled loudly and Reno almost laughed at the disgusted look that crossed Aura's face when she turned to look.

"Here's a lesson to you, lads!" Another of the men called to the rest of the bar. "The Cause gets you the ladies!" He laughed when another of the women seated herself on the table right in front of him.

"Yeah, if you pay them."Aura muttered. Reno smirked. He finished his drink and continued to survey the room. He heard the door open and a moment later his hair blew into his eyes as a breeze swept through the room. Pushing his hair back he looked at Aura to see that the blood had drained from her face, leaving her paler than usual. Looking toward the door, he watched the person who had just entered stagger toward the bar. They could both spot a junkie without a second glance.

Looking back at Aura who seemed nearly frozen, he got to his feet. "Come on," he murmured, taking hold of her sleeve and tugging her up. "Let's go..." He picked up the basket and walked her to the door. He watched her look back over her shoulder stiffly, before he'd moved her out the door onto the street. She didn't speak until they were halfway down the road.

"Been a while since I've seen a junkie."

"Yeah..." he nodded, "This isn't their usual area..."

"Mmm."

"You okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Yeah?" he asked, watching her from the corner of his eye as they walked, "Will you be more than fine if I sing to you?"

She gave a small smile and he grinned, starting to sing some random song in a high pitched voice. He'd wondered from time to time how Aura's reaction to junkies or drugs of any kind was coming along these days. Back in their days on the steet, he'd saved her from some junkies who were trying to inject her with some crap or other, and since then she'd been terrified of anything to do with it. Since there weren't as many junkies in Edge as there had been under the plate in their old slum, he'd been hoping that her fear would lessen. He guessed it hadn't.

Soon enough they were back at Aura's house and he watched her unpack the things she'd bought. She put everything away silently and he continued to watch her.

"Aur..." he began and she turned to look at him. "Are you really alright?"

"Yeah." She nodded.

"Just... The junkie..."

"Not even thinking about him." She answered. He must have looked confused because she shook her head, "I know you're going tonight... back to that bar..."

"Yeah." He agreed. She gave an annoyed hiss.

"You're going to get yourself killed. Reno, that's what they do. It's what they're all about and they like it."

"I know." He looked at her, "That's exactly why I'm going back." He watched her face as she obviously bit back what she wanted to say next. He understood her frustration. She thought he was being an idiot, running head first into a situation he had no control over. It made sense. He did that a lot. But this wasn't one of those times. He couldn't tell her that he'd be perfectly fine because he could beat the shit out of everyone in that bar if given the chance. He could try and appease her, though.

"I won't be going alone."

"No?"

"No."

He watched as she stopped herself from asking anything more. "Fine." She murmured. "Just... don't be an idiot."

"I'll try my very best." He grinned. His grin faded when she didn't smile. "I promise."

"Okay." She breathed. He stepped forward and hugged her, then kissed the top of her head when he felt her arms come around his waist.

"It'll be fine." He murmured, holding her firmly.

"If I turn on the TV tomorrow to see you're dead, I'm going to kill you."

"Duly noted."

She looked up at him and he let her go. "Okay..." he said, straightening himself. "I should go."

"Okay."

"Yeah... here, I brought this." He took a small pouch of Gil from his pocket and gave it to her.

"Uh... I don't need it. I can live off what I make selling potions."

"Just in case." He replied, pressing it into her hand. She let out a huff and took it. He nodded and headed for the door, pulling his old jacket on again.

"I want to know." She said from behind him, "Tomorrow... I want to know that you're okay..."

He looked back, to see her leaning against the couch, watching him. "Yeah." He nodded, "Okay."

"Good."

He gave her one last look before he headed out the door and quickly up the road. He headed straight for Healin Lodge, eager to tell Tseng what he'd learned about the recent attacks on their people. If he were fast enough, then perhaps Tseng could get Rufus to sanction an official mission for them all to head to that bar tonight to check the situation out. Hell, he knew he'd be going anyway, with approval or not. It was just too good an opportunity to pass up. They couldn't just sit back and do nothing while every day more ShinRa employees were attacked and killed. Okay, so they weren't doing nothing, but they hadn't had a lead this good since it all started. He saw no reason why this wouldn't be given full approval.

As it happened, Tseng had the same opinion Reno did. The dark-haired man had hurried off to find Rufus as soon as Reno had finished explaining what he'd discovered, and so Reno sat waiting with Rude and Elena in the relaxation room.

"There's no way we won't be told to go." Elena commented, "I mean, this is a chance to learn so many things. Who's involved, what their plan is... even a base of operations..."

"Yep." Reno commented, putting his feet up on a table.

"Of course, we could learn none of those things." Rude put in, looking at Reno. Reno shrugged.

"Worth a shot, yo."

They fell into silence, thinking, until Tseng returned and informed them that all four of them would be visiting that bar tonight. Reno jumped up.

"Alright. Let's all go and make ourselves sexy."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Reno found Rude waiting outside the bar when he arrived at about half past eight that evening. "Looking sharp." He smiled, patting his friend on the back as they headed inside. He nodded, looking Rude over. The loose pants and shirt made him look like he belonged. It was Tseng he was worried about. If he arrived looking all brisk and businesslike as he usually did he was going to look incredibly obvious.

"I'll find somewhere to sit..." Rude told him, heading toward a corner, while Reno sauntered toward the bar. They may as well get started on blending in. Upon sitting down opposite Rude at the table his partner had chosen near the back, he pushed a beer toward his friend and looked around.

"No sign of Tseng and Elena...?"

"Not yet."

"Right... Well, I don't see the guys from earlier in here either..."

"We're early."

"Yeah..."

It was about ten minutes later when the door opened and Elena strode in. Reno watched her look around and spot them, before she headed right for them.

"Damn, Laney." He smirked when she reached the table. "You're looking exceptionally sexy this evening."

"... Wasn't that the idea?" she asked, placing her purse on the table.

"Well, I suppose so."

"Then what's your problem?"

"I don't have one." He smiled, looking at her. His smile widened when he noticed the faint blush begin to stain her cheeks.

"Great. I need a drink." She picked up her purse and got up, heading toward the bar. He blinked when Rude looked at him.

"What? It was a compliment."

When Tseng arrived, he'd gotten halfway across the room toward them before Reno even noticed him. He seated himself at the table and looked at them silently. Reno looked him over.

"Tseng. I got you a drink." Elena said as she returned and placed two glasses on the table before sitting beside him.

"Thank you."

Reno continued to look at Tseng. "What?" the dark haired man eventually sighed.

"Would you take the hair out?" he said almost exasperatedly.

"Why?"

"Because you look..." he blinked and leaned forward to whisper the rest of his sentence, "...like a Turk."

Tseng regarded him silently for a moment before reaching up and pulling the small piece of leather from his hair. Reno watched the dark tresses fall about his face and raised an eyebrow. Tseng looked much softer now. More at ease.

"Better?"

"Ohyea." Reno nodded, "I bet you make women jealous with that hair."

Tseng blinked, his drink halfway to his mouth. Reno just grinned. "While you're at it... That shirt..."

"What's wrong with my shirt?" Tseng looked at him. Reno looked back at him.

"Nothing... It's a fine shirt." He replied, his eyes moving over the crisp white fabric. "But... The buttons. Undo them. At least three."

Tsengs fingers traced the buttons up his shirt. He sighed and undid the top three.

"There, now." Reno said, lounging back in his chair comfortably. "A glimpse of chest never hurt anybody. Just ask Elena."

The small choking sound from Elena had Reno's eyes flicking straight to her. He tried to hide his smirk as he watched her try and work out if he were referring to the amount of cleavage she was currently displaying or her appreciation of the fact that she now had a view of Tseng's chest. He didn't know what she decided on, but she went bright red.

"Hey, Laney." He smiled, "Why don't you come sit next to me?"

"Uh..." she blinked, looking at him. "I'm fine next to Tseng."

"I'm sure you are..." he looked at Tseng "Don't you think Laney is looking fine tonight?"

Tseng looked at Elena. "Very appropriate." Elena went even more red and stared hard at the table. Reno smirked and then looked past her to where one of the men he'd seen earlier in the day had walked past them.

"He's one." He said, sitting up slightly. As if someone had flicked a switc

h, Tseng sat up straight, his dark eyes following the man across the room. Reno looked at him. "You might wanna relax, yo."

Tseng leaned back in his chair.

"Just try to look like you're here to have a good time." Reno offered.

"If I were looking for a good time, this would not be where I'd come."

Reno couldn't resist a snigger. He looked at Rude who also smiled. Tseng sighed.

"Right." Elena said, getting to her feet. "I'm going to actually go see what I can find out..." She picked up her glass and walked slowly across the room.

"... she purposely walkin' like that, yo?" Reno asked, watching the way her hips seemed to sway more than usual.

"Probably." Tseng replied, his eyes also following her.

"Right, well, I think I'll go blend in, too." Reno got to his feet and headed for the bar. He slid onto a stool and spun to watch the room. He watched Elena as she went over the group of men by the wall and smiled at the one Reno had identified as one of the men he'd seen earlier in the day. He couldn't see her lips so she didn't know what she said when she leaned forward and whispered something in his ear. He guessed it must have been good, though, as the guy laughed loudly and wrapped an arm around her waist, drawing her in close to himself.

He forced himself to look away. It wouldn't do for someone to notice Elena being watched as she tried to integrate herself into that little group. He glanced back over as someone pushed another drink into her hands. "Don't drink it, Laney." He murmured. He sighed when she raised the glass and took a sip. Tomorrow, he was going to have a talk to her about accepting drinks from randoms in places like this. For now, he'd just hope that there was nothing that could hurt her in that glass.

When someone sat on the stool next to him, Reno spun to smile at them. "Hey."

"Hi." The man replied.

"Seems like there's a bit of a party going on in here." He said, resting an elbow on the bar as he looked the guy over. He wasn't one of the ones he'd seen before, but he still might know something useful.

"Yeah. I guess."

"Someone's birthday, maybe."

"A job well done, I think." The guy replied, downing his drink.

"Oh yeah?" Reno asked, gesturing to the bar keeper for another drink. "What job?"

The guy shrugged, "Dunno. Happens from time to time."

"Must be important."

"No idea."

Reno nodded, deciding against pressing this guy. It was clear if he knew anything he wasn't about to say so. The guy collected his next drink and walked away. Reno surveyed the room again. He didn't think this was going to work as well as they'd hoped. It was clear that some people in the bar were here simply to have a good time, and there were those who were here for some other purpose. That group seemed to be keeping to itself. He didn't think he would be able to just chat one up. But Elena...

He looked at her again. If she played it right, they may just talk in front of her and she could just listen and report back. He frowned when she sank into a chair, looking slightly dazed. Casting a glance toward Tseng and Rude he noticed them watching her too. He watched the guy who had been holding onto her push her drink back into her hand and help her take another mouthful. Sliding off his stool, Reno went back to Tseng and Rude at their table.

"Elena..." Rude said quietly.

"Yep. They've given her something." Reno replied softly. He sat down and looked at Tseng. "What do you want to do?" he asked.

"Just watch..." Tseng murmured, "She may still be able to learn something."

"Not if she's unconscious." Reno replied hotly.

"She's not."

"Not yet." He looked back to Elena to watch the man standing over her trace a finger down her throat and across her shoulder, taking the strap of her red dress with it until it hung uselessly off her arm. "Yeah, no." He got to his feet.

"Reno, sit." Tseng ordered.

Reno blinked at him. "I'm not going to sit here and watch Elena get ... molested."

"You'll do what I tell you to do." Tseng replied calmly.

Clenching his teeth, Reno sank back into his chair.

"How long are we going to watch this?" Rude asked stiffly.

"Until I say otherwise." Tseng replied.

"Then say otherwise..." Reno growled, "Because I'm about to go over there and kick that guy's teeth in."

Tseng's dark eyes suddenly flicked to Reno, piercing straight into him. "You will not move from that chair until I say you can. Is that clear?"

"Yes." He murmured.

They all then watched as Elena was helped to her feet, and then half walked, half carried out the door. Tseng was the first to his feet. "Move."

By the time they got out on to the street, Elena and the two men who had taken her outside were gone. Reno swore.

"Find her." Tseng ordered. Reno bit back a stinging remark and moved further up the street. Rude immediately took off the other way and Tseng looked around.

Hearing a soft laugh from the darkness, both he and Tseng moved toward a shadowed area of the street and discovered a mostly concealed alleyway. Glancing at Tseng, Reno headed down it first.

"Lemmego." Elena's voice came out of the darkness and Reno froze for a moment.

"C'mon, baby. Don't be like that..."

"Yeah, come on, we're your friends..."

"No..."

As they crept closer, they saw Elena leaning back against the brick wall, clearly struggling to stay on her feet with two men before her.

"C'mon, sweetheart, you were all friendly inside..." The first man moved toward her, his hand outstretched when Elena swung, punching him in the face as hard as she could and immediately losing her balance and falling against a nearby bin. The man fell back against the opposite wall, holding his face and howling something about a broken nose while the second man laughed loudly.

"Oh, feisty. You're gonna be fun."

Reno watched as the second man moved toward Elena, bending to reach for her again. Before he could touch her, Reno stepped closer and grabbed a handful of the man's hair before bringing his knee up hard into the guy's face. He then tossed the guy backward onto the damp ground where he lay unconscious. By now, the first guy had gotten to his feet and came at Reno with some sort of metal pipe. Reno easily knocked the guys hand away and snapped his arm easily at the elbow. His screams echoed up and down the alleyway as Reno then tossed him to the ground out of his way.

Turning, he saw Tseng down on his knees beside Elena. "She okay?" he asked, moving closer.

"Mmm." Tseng replied, lifting her into his arms and getting to his feet.

"Tseng..." Elena murmured, wrapping her arms around his neck. "They... put something... in my drink."

"I know. You're okay." Tseng replied softly, "We're taking you home."

Reno watched her lay her head against Tseng's shoulder as her eyes closed. He then followed Tseng out of the alley. He waved to Rude who hurried toward them up the street, and then they headed home. Elena didn't open her eyes again until Tseng was pushing her door open with his foot. Reno flicked the lights on and watched as the dark-haired man lay her on her couch.

"She may need to be checked over..." He said. Tseng shook his head.

"I don't think so."

"I'm fine." Elena murmured. "Just wanna sleep..."

Moving closer, Reno watched her eyes flutter closed again and he shifted his attention to Tseng.

"You go home." Tseng told him. "I'll watch her."

"Okay." Reno nodded and headed back over to Rude who was waiting by the door. Casting another glance back at them, he followed his partner out the door and back onto the street. "Hope she's okay." He murmured.

"She will be." Rude replied simply.

"I don't know how Tseng waited that long..." he began, "We were almost too late as it was..."

"He knew what he was doing."

"But if Elena... I mean, it's Elena..."

"She's a Turk,"

"I know..." he sighed. Rude clapped him on the back and they continued up the road.

* * *

Tseng knelt by Elena silently. His eyes moved over her as she lay still on her couch.

"Elena." He murmured, touching her arm. She stirred softly and he pushed a lock of her blonde hair gently away from her face. When her eyes did not open, he held the lock of hair gently between his fingers, surprised by how silky it felt. Letting out a slow breath, he tucked it behind her ear. Then, moving his hand lower, he pulled the strap of her dress back up onto her shoulder. His eyes moved over her again. Reno had been right. She had looked wonderful this evening. That gorgeous red dress had suited her body perfectly, and he wished he'd had more frequent cause to see her in such things instead of her daily uniform. Rocking back on his heels, Tseng pushed such thoughts from his mind with agitation. He had no business thinking such things.

"Elena." He said again, a little more loudly.

"Mmmm..."

"Do you want to get into bed?" he asked. "You'll be more comfortable."

She gave a half nod, unable to do more. Going down on one knee, Tseng lifted her into his arms once more and carried her up the narrow hallway to where he was assuming her bedroom was. Finding a large bed in one room he carried her over to it and lay her down gently. She didn't move.

"Elena..." He watched as she still didn't move. He frowned and checked her pulse and her breathing before coming to the conclusion that she was now out cold and would unlikely wake again before morning. Looking her over again, he noted just how tight her dress was. She would be far more comfortable without it. With that thought, he stepped away from the bed. He couldn't take it off her. Annoyed with himself, he thought about how Reno and Rude would have taken her dress off without a second thought. It was what she needed and they wouldn't have hesitated at all. There would have been nothing sexual or inappropriate about it, just straight business. However, he knew that if he took it off, he would certainly be looking at her. What was wrong with him?

Sighing, and pushing his hair back, he decided he could at least compromise. Rolling Elena gently onto her side, he unzipped the back of her dress slowly. Managing to at least resist the urge to stroke his hand down her soft skin, he rolled her onto her back once more. This way, he could leave her dress on but allow her some free movement as it was now looser than before. Satisfied with that, he picked up the folded blanket from the bottom of her bed and laid it over her. Heading back toward the door, he pulled it halfway closed and went back out to sit on the couch.

"Shouldn't have waited that long." He muttered to himself, running his hands over his face. He was responsible for Elena. He was the one meant to look out for her. But he'd been so focused on getting information. He closed his eyes as he tried not to imagine what could have happened if he'd waited even a moment longer.

Sighing, then, he took his shoes off and turned to lie along the couch. He would stay here until morning to see how she was. That was the responsible thing to do. At least, that's what he was telling himself.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Elena stared at her desk. Her headache was nearly gone. She now just felt stupid. She didn't know much of what had happened the previous night at that bar after she'd gone to talk to the people they'd suspected to be part of the group attacking ShinRa employees. When she'd awoken this morning to find Tseng in her apartment he had told her that she'd been drugged and that he was there to make sure she was okay to work. She'd told him that she was fine and he had left quickly. Elena had then gone to have a shower where she sat on the tiles under the water and wished that she could die she was that embarrassed.

Would she never stop proving time and time again that she was just a rookie?

When she had arrived and sat at her desk, she was sure it would just be a matter of time before Reno appeared to tease her. She'd groaned when she spotted his red hair moving among the desks as he headed for her. She'd been more than surprised when he'd just sat himself on her desk, knocking half her files to the floor as he did so and then just looked at her.

"So, how you doin'?" He asked.

"Fine..." she murmured, glancing at him.

"Yeah?"

"I feel stupid."

"Mmm. You did okay, Rookie." He smiled, ruffling her hair. She pushed his hand away, irritated.

"I screwed up. Again."

"You told Tseng what you heard, right?"

"What I could remember."

He nodded. "That's all you can do."

"But I should never have let myself get so... " she made a frustrated sound.

"You punched one of 'em pretty good." He smiled, "Broke his nose..."

"Did I?" she blinked, looking at him. He nodded. She gave a small smile of her own, feeling slightly better. "Oh."

"Then Tseng lifted you into his arms and carried you home." He grinned. She went bright red.

"No..."

"Oh, Yes." He smirked. She whacked him in the leg. He made a pathetic whining sound and got off her desk. "Did he stay the night?"

"Reno..." She warned. He backed away.

"Did you wake up all warm and comfy wrapped in a Tseng blanket?" he teased.

Elena got to her feet and he took off through the desks, laughing. She swore and sank back into her chair feeling even more embarrassed than she had before. Tseng had carried her home? How could things get any worse?

It was then that Rude stopped by her desk. "Elena."

"Yeah?" she looked up, trying to keep her face neutral.

"Tseng wants you to get checked out in the infirmary."

"I'm fine..."

"That's what he wants."

She sighed and got to her feet. "Why didn't he tell me himself?"

"No idea." He replied, before continuing on to his own desk.

Elena headed down to the infirmary and pushed the doors open, already steeling herself for what was to come.

"Elena!"

Elena turned, "Zena." She replied as the tall women with curly blond hair, who had been hired as one of ShinRa's doctors, hurried toward her.

"Tseng said you would be in here today."

"Did he?"

"Yes... he seems strange today." Zena replied, taking Elena over to a bed, "Well, more strange than usual. Don't you think?"

"I haven't seen him today." Elena said simply. She closed her eyes as Zena moved around gathering what she would need.

"I need to run a blood scan." Zena told her.

"Fine." Elena watched Zena silently. She wasn't really in the mood to put up with the woman today. It seemed as if Zena didn't notice this as she kept chatting away.

"So you have no idea why Tseng is being weird today? That's too bad. I thought of going to try and cheer him up a bit, but he would probably just kick me out." Elena looked away as a syringe was pushed into her vein, "I mean, I could ask him out after work, but that maybe seems a little forward, you know? Does he even go out after work?"

"He doesn't often come out with us." Elena murmured, irritated that Zena apparently had her eye on Tseng.

"Us?"

"Reno, Rude and I." She answered.

Zena gave what Elena considered to be a giggle. "Now, I'm sure if I asked Reno out, I'd stand more of a chance." Elena looked at her.

"What? You like both of them?"

"What's not to like...?" Zena replied, removing the syringe now full of blood. "Besides, a girl had to keep her options open."

Elena shook her head silently.

"Y'know..." Zena continued, "You and I should hang out some time. Girl talk and stuff. There aren't that many women here to talk to."

"That's true enough." Elena replied, trying not to agree to anything. Zena had a point, though. She sometimes wished there was someone she could talk to who wasn't male. Or her superior.

"Okay, just sit here while I run this blood."

"Yeah." Elena watched Zena move to the other end of the room to some machinery and start messing around. Why did Tseng want her to get checked out anyway? She felt fine. Whatever those bastards had given her should have worked its way out of her system by this morning. This seemed like a waste of time to her. She couldn't wait to get out of here and go and do some training. She was sure kicking the shit out of something would make her feel better.

* * *

Reno had just gotten changed into something he could sweat all over when Elena entered the training room. "What's up, Laney?"

"I need to punch stuff." She growled, heading past him into the changing rooms.

He just laughed and began to warm up. He was just about done with that when Elena came out, now in loose clothing with her short hair pinned back off her face.

"Warm up, Rookie." He instructed, "I'll give you something to relieve some tension." He watched her carefully. It was clear she was in a bad mood when she didn't even notice the innuendo in that and try to have a go at him. He watched her just begin her warm up. One of 'those' days, he guessed. They all had them from time to time. What she needed was a good work out, and then a stiff drink after work. She'd be good as new tomorrow.

When she had finished stretching he looked at her again. "Let's go, Rookie." He headed over to the side of the room and picked up some nunchaku.

"Really?" She asked, "For real?"

"What?"

"We're going to end up messed up."

"That's what you want, isn't it?" He asked, looking at her, "To do some damage."

"Uhh..." She blinked.

"You need to get it out of your system. Let's go." He began to circle around her as she moved, watching him carefully. He attacked without warning and she blocked him, within seconds they were both a quick series of movements both giving and taking space back and forth across the mat. Knowing what Elena needed, Reno backed off a little, slowing his movements just a bit. He saw the moment Elena gave a small smile, believing him to be tiring, before she gave him a hard blow across the face. Reno caught himself down on one knee, and looked back up at her from under his now messy hair. She'd raised her weapon, about to strike him again before she caught herself.

"Oh..." She let out a shaky breath, looking down at him. "Oh, I'm so sorry." She dropped her nunchaku and Reno got slowly to his feet. He returned the weapons to their place and gingerly touched his cheek where she'd struck him. It would leave an impressive bruise by tomorrow.

"You let me do that..." She murmured, looking at him. "Why?"

"Do you feel better...?" he asked, watching as she blinked and then nodded. "That's why." He said simply. She looked at him silently and he shrugged it off, ruffling her hair. "I'm gonna get changed. See you later, Rookie."

.

When they had finished for the day, Reno and Rude cornered Elena and dragged her to 7th Heaven.

"Trust me, Laney." Reno told her, making her slide into their usual booth. "You need a good stiff one."

"You better be talking about alcohol, Reno." She muttered.

"That's what Tifa sells here..." he grinned, "Not sure about the other thing... Ask Rude."

He smiled when she laughed softly and Rude looked at him over the top of his glasses. He just winked at his partner and took a seat.

An hour later the three of them were a little bit drunk. Reno was becoming increasingly amused at the lengths Rude was going to to keep an eye on Tifa. "She's just out the back, Rude." Elena giggled, "She'll be back in a sec."

"No NO... Maybe I should get a job here..." Rude nodded, tapping his finger on the table. "Y'know... To help..."

"Help her what?" Reno snickered.

"Pour drinks." Rude drawled.

"Yeah, right." Elena chuckled.

"Maybe she needs a plumber." Reno giggled, then looked at Rude, slapping him on the shoulder. "Wouldn't you like to check out her plumbing?"

Rude elbowed him hard in the ribs and Reno fell out of their booth and onto the hardwood floor. "Owww." He whined.

"No, don't be mean!" Elena told Rude, clumsily manoeuvring herself out of her seat and down to kneel by Reno where she tried to pull him up. Reno just lay on his back making no effort to help her get him up. Even numbed by the alcohol, he knew he'd have a nice bruise on his ribs to match the one on his face. His friends seemed to be rather violent lately.

"If you lot are drunk enough to be on the floor, it might be time for you to go home."

Reno looked up when Tifa's voice startled him.

He quickly got to his feet. "No... Don't make Rude go." He said, wrapping an arm around Tifa's shoulders. "He'd miss you..."

"Reno..." Rude stared at his partner. Reno let Tifa go and sat down next to Elena who was now back in her chair. He looked up again, watching Tifa who was looking from one of them to the next. When her eyes moved to Rude, Reno was sure he saw her smile slightly, and then she'd turned and walked back to the bar to her customers who were demanding more drinks.

"You didn't ask her about the plumbing." He said, turning his head to look at Rude.

"I'm going to kill you." Rude said firmly. "Tomorrow. When I can see straight."

"I'll pencil you in, yo."

"Zena has her eye on Tseng!" Elena suddenly blurted out. Reno turned in his chair to look at her.

"Okay, Random." He blinked. She gave a small blush.

"She does! She told me so today in the infirmary."

"Good." Reno replied, "Tseng could use a good fuck."

"Uh." Elena's jaw dropped.

"Well he could." He replied, taking another mouthful of his drink, "He's been acting weird."

"But... Zena." Elena blinked. "She's ridiculous."

"She's hot." Reno smirked.

"Well, why don't you fuck her, then?" She muttered, folding her arms.

"What makes you think I haven't?" he replied, smirking again. She stared at him.

"The fact that she's after you, too."

"Oh?"

"Mhmm."

He made a face.

"What happened to her being hot?" She smirked at him.

"My drink is wearing off?" He suggested. She shook her head.

"I see."

"She's hot... but the woman can't shut her mouth for two seconds."

"Bit rich, coming from you." Rude put in.

"Well, yeah... but she's more annoying than me. But, I suppose... if she's given something better to do with her mouth..."

"Ugh." Elena now made a face. "Reno... The images..."

He just laughed. The laughter died in his throat when the door to the bar opened and Tseng walked in with Zena. He then looked at Elena when she spotted them and a small sound escaped her. A few moments later, Tseng and Zena stood beside their table.

"Sir," Rude greeted, "Are you joining us?"

"Yes, thank you." Tseng sat down beside Rude and Zena smiled at them as she squeezed in beside him.

"Hey Elena," Zena grinned, "I did what we were talking about earlier."

"I see that." Elena replied flatly. Reno just stared at Tseng. Tseng on a date? He was as confused as hell. He needed another drink.

"Zena." He said, looking at her. "It's your turn to get the drinks."

"Oh? Okay." The woman got up and smiled at Tseng before heading over to the bar. Reno kept staring at his superior.

"You're on a date?"

"Yes, Reno. I date." Tseng replied drolly.

"Since when?"

Tseng just looked at him silently.

"And..." Reno continued, "I wouldn't have thought Zena was your type, yo."

"Maybe I need a new type." Tseng replied. Reno glanced at Elena who was staring at the table.

"I dunno. I think your old type is fine."

"I don't recall making my personal life your business, Reno."

Reno sat back in his chair as Zena returned with drinks for them all. He watched her place the tray on the table and then squeeze back into the booth beside Tseng, her hand on his arm.

"Reno, move." Elena murmured, before crawling across his lap, "I need to throw up." He just blinked, watching her hurry off toward the women's bathroom. He then looked to Rude, who was looking back at him.

"Is Elena sick?" Tifa asked, now standing beside their table.

"Uhm... She's a kind of sick..." Reno replied, looking up at the dark haired woman. He watched as Tifa's eyes moved to Tseng and Zena before she nodded.

"Right. I'll check on her." She said, turning and heading in the direction of the bathroom. Reno drank the drink Zena had put in front of him and looked back to Rude.

"Think we'll be takin' Laney home tonight, yo?"

"Possibly." Rude replied simply.

"Oh, I knew you all did it." Zena put in, grinning. Reno looked at her, confused, until she continued, "You're all so close. It's so obvious." He blinked. The woman thought they all slept with eachother.

"Uh. No?"

"Sure, sure." Zena winked at him, "If you say so."

He looked at Tseng, speechless. The way the dark haired man's eyes were slightly narrowed told Reno clearly that Tseng was irritated by the women now stroking his arm. Tseng was not interested in her in the slightest. That was obvious. So, what was he doing with her? Why did he have to bring her here? In front of Elena.

A few minutes later Tifa returned. "Elena is done for tonight." She said, "She wants to go home." She looked from Reno to Rude.

"Yeah," Reno got to his feet. "We'll take her." He looked at Rude who also got up. Reno then followed Tifa to the bathroom to collect Elena while Rude got around Tseng and Zena.

"Laney, you okay?" he asked. He watched as she nodded slowly.

"I just wanna go home." She said, "I don't feel good."

"Okay. C'mon." He took her back out to the others. "See you tomorrow, Sir." He said, glancing at Tseng. Tseng nodded, watching them. Rude took Elena's elbow and led her toward the door.

"Bye, guys." Zena's high pitched voice followed them out into the cool night air.

"You're right." Rude said, looking at Reno. "She is more annoying than you."

Reno just grinned at him.

* * *

Drop me some reviews guys. Let me know what you think.

I'll give you cake.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Reno hurried up the street toward Aura's house as the sun rose. He gave a slight shiver and turned his collar up, wincing as his hand accidentally brushed against the heavy green and purple bruise along his cheek from where Elena had belted him across the face the previous day. Hurrying up her path to her door, he was just about to knock when it opened and he came face to face with Maati. Blinking, he stepped back as the older man came out.

"Hello." The man greeted.

"'Sup, yo." He replied, wondering what he was doing coming out of Aura's house first thing in the morning. Surely this wasn't her secret lover. No. That was ridiculous.

"Reno?" Aura asked, stepping outside and immediately wrapping her arms around herself. "What are you doing here? Come inside. It's freezing." She turned and hurried back inside and over to the fireplace, standing before the flames to warm herself. He looked at her in her flimsy nightdress.

"What was Maati doing here so early?" He asked, keeping his tone casual.

"He's going to Junon." She replied, "He was asking what I'd like him to look for. Ingredients for my potions." She blinked. "He's not been able to find this one root I need for a few weeks now. I can't make some Potions without it."

"Oh." He said, taking his jacket off now that he was inside where it was warmer.

"Sweet Shiva, what happened?" She breathed, moving straight across the room to him and looking at his face.

"Oh." He said again, raising his hand to the bruise and wincing again when he touched it. She pulled his hand down, away from his face, so that she could see better and Reno watched her frown. He then allowed her to pull him over to the couch where he sat slowly.

"What happened?" She repeated, tilting his face for a better look.

"Just a little exercise gone wrong..."

She made a noise that told him she knew there was more to it, but would not ask.

"Alright," she murmured, "Don't move."

"Okay." He nodded as she quickly went into the kitchen. He heard her going through some cupboards and then she returned with a small container. "What's that?"

"Something I made..." she replied, setting it on the armrest of the couch. He watched as she took hold of his chin and again turned his face to inspect the bruise. He winced when her fingers ghosted lightly over it.

"Ow."

"Sorry..." She murmured, "This is nasty..."

"I know."

"Mmm..."She let him go and picked up the container, undoing the lid and dipping her fingers inside. "This should work..." she said, lifting her fingers out with what looked to him like green goo on them. "It's a healing salve." She told him, catching his look.

Reno closed his eyes as she gently smeared the salve across his cheek. A cool tingling sensation began where the salve rested on his skin and he smiled.

"That feels better..." he said softly. She smiled at him, putting the lid back on the container and then taking it back into the kitchen. She returned a few minutes later with a wet cloth. "If you write down the ingredients you need, I may be able to get some of them for you..." he told her, raising a hand to her hip when she came to stand over him again.

"Thanks." She nodded, her cool fingers moving back up under his chin to tilt his face up once more. He closed his eyes again as she carefully began to wipe the salve off his cheek with the cloth.

"It doesn't even hurt..." he said, surprised.

"Good." She murmured. He opened his eyes when he felt one of her fingers trace lightly over the tattoo beneath his eye. "You're all better." She then said, stepping away.

"Really?" He raised a hand to his cheek, and upon feeling no trace of pain, he got up. Walking over to a mirror by the door, he looked at himself and blinked in surprise. The bruise was gone. "Aura..." he turned to look at her. "You made that stuff?"

"Yeah."

"What's in it?"

"A bit of this and that, really..."

"Wow..." He grinned, looking at her. He was impressed. He'd never seen anything that could get rid of a bruise like that. If she could make something like this, who knew what else she could create? "Do you sell it, too?"

"Not yet. It was just an experiment. I only have a small amount."

"You're so clever." He smiled, putting an arm around her shoulders. He sank back onto the couch, taking her with him. "So," he began, "I actually came this morning to warn you."

"Warn me?"

"Yeah." He looked at her, his arm still around her shoulders. "From what we found out the other night, there's gonna be some trouble around the marketplace areas..."

"Yeah?"

"Mmm." He nodded, his hand running lightly up and down her arm, "Look, Aur... I don't want you to get caught up in anything that happens... So, I want you to stay away from that area for a while..."

She looked at him and he met her green eyes straight on. "Really?" She asked.

"Yes." He blinked, "You understand?"

"I get what you're sayin', yo."

"You'll stay away?"

"If I can."

"Okay." He kissed her cheek lightly and got to his feet. "I'd better get to work."

"Yeah."

He watched her as he put his jacket on. "Write that list. I'll be back for it in a few days."

"Sure." She nodded, pulling a shawl around her shoulders. He blinked, unsure of what had just happened. Reno could usually read most people fairly easily, but he sometimes had trouble with Aura. He could always tell when she was happy, and sometimes it was pretty obvious when she was upset, although more often than not he had no idea why. When they were younger, for the first few years they were together, he would simply ask and she would tell him. As the years passed, sometimes she began to not answer. She would simply shake her head or change the subject. He began trying to work it out himself, and sometimes he even succeeded. Other times, however, he had no idea. Those times became more frequent after he'd begun to work for ShinRa and wasn't with her every day. He had no way of knowing what was going on with her unless she told him. He couldn't just see what was happening and go and take care of it. That bothered him.

He frowned as he moved toward the door. If he managed to find some of the ingredients she needed, that would surely cheer her up. He watched her as she got to her feet and followed him to the door, pushing it closed when he tried to pull it open. He blinked, confused for a second before she threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. His own arms went quickly around her waist holding her firmly to himself.

"Aura?" he breathed, "What is it?"

"You make me promise to stay away from somewhere because it'll be dangerous... but I know you're just going to walking right on in..." She replied softly, her voice half muffled by his shoulder. "That's not fair."

"I know..." He replied gently. "But... I'm trained."

"You're also the target!" She looked up at him. "Every day when I turn on the news there are more... and I keep thinking I'm going to see you..." She gestured at the TV, "Dead."

"You won't." He said firmly. "I'm not about to sacrifice myself for my job. Trust me."

"You promise?"

He closed his fingers gently around her wrist and bent to press his forehead against hers. It was their own version of an unbreakable promise that they used to use whenever they had truly meant something. Reno didn't know why he'd suddenly remembered it as they'd not used it in years, but it worked. He saw the moment she believed him and she smiled. "I promise."

* * *

Elena punched Rude in the face. The big man barely blinked before he'd lifted her off her feet and tossed her onto her back on the mat. She was on her feet again in an instant, trying to force her lungs to draw breath around the pain in her chest. Unlike when she was sparring with Reno, honing her speed and agility, fighting Rude was more about building strength and being able to take a hit.

He knocked her off her feet again and she blinked up at him, on her back on the mat once more.

"Elena..." he said evenly, "Maybe that is enough for one day."

"No." She said, forcing herself to her feet, "I'm good." She drew a painful, shaky, breath, and attacked him once more.

She'd woken up angry this morning. Time and time again she kept screwing things up and reinforcing how inexperienced she was. Just a rookie. She was through with that. She was sure Tseng was pissed at her. He'd not said a word to her yesterday, relaying orders to her through other people, and last night at 7th Heaven, he'd not even looked at her. Of course, he had been on his date with Zena. But, he'd spoken to Reno and Rude, so why not her? The only reason that made sense was that he was pissed at her for the other night.

She coughed when her back hit the mat again. She forced herself to her feet, coughing roughly as her lungs tried to refuse air. Rude regarded her silently. "C'mon." She coughed, motioning for him to attack her again.

"I don't think..."

"C'MON!"

He sighed and moved forward again.

"Elena!" Reno's voice startled both of them and they turned to see the redhead enter the room. "What are you doing?"

"Training."

"That's not what it looks like."

"I don't care how it looks." She muttered.

"Go and get checked out in the infirmary."

"No."

"Excuse me?"

Elena blinked, hearing his voice change and she realised that she was now talking to her superior. She looked at him again.

"I don't need to be checked out." She said softly, "... sir."

"Don't misunderstand, Elena." He replied, "I'm not telling you to go up there for fun. You'll do it because I need you functional."

"Yes, sir." She muttered. Straightening her shirt, she turned and headed for the door. Halfway there, Reno spoke again and she turned to look at him.

"Zena isn't working this morning."

"Great." She growled, turning back to the door and striding out.

* * *

Reno turned to look at Rude. "Laney needs to get her some."

"She's very angry." Rude agreed, nodding simply.

"I can't tell what pissed her off more." Reno told him, stretching himself slowly. "Getting drugged the other night, or Tseng on a date with that woman."

"I'd say one hurt more than the other."

"Yeah, but the thing is... what're we gonna do about it?"

Rude shrugged silently, looking at him.

"Yeah..." Reno straightened up, "Nothin' much we can do." He paused to think for a moment. "Maybe if she's given the chance to prove herself again..."

"That could take some of the edge off."

"We have to go check out the marketplace tomorrow." He told his partner with a smile, "I'm sure there'll be an opportunity or two for Laney to show off some of her fine abilities..."

"One can hope."

"But right now... Not too tired, are you, Partner?" Reno asked, moving into a ready stance facing Rude on the mat.

"Never."

* * *

Aura was just sitting down on her couch, about to turn on the television to check the news, wondering how many ShinRa employees had been killed during the day, when a loud pounding on her door made her jump. Getting to her feet, she hurried to the window to check who was on her doorstep, the way Reno had insisted she do. Seeing a man standing there, holding a child in his arms, she moved to open the door. It had become more frequent of late, people bringing those in need of healing directly to her house. She wasn't sure how it had started, but she wouldn't turn those in need away when she could help them.

"Please..." The man breathed, carrying his child inside the moment the door was open. "Please... my son."

"What happened...?" Aura asked, clearing space on a low table for the man to set the boy down so she could look at him.

"He's sick." The man replied, standing back up when he'd put his son on the table. Aura bent to look at him. "It's the sickness." The man continued, "The one that has been spreading..."

Aura moved quickly to a nearby cupboard and got out a pair of thin gloves. The last pair, she'd have to go into town to get some more in the morning. Moving back to look at the boy, she held her breath. Sure enough, when she pulled back the old blanket he'd been wrapped in she saw that familiar black substance that marked the disease that was becoming more and more common. Quickly putting the blanket back, she stood up and turned to face the boy's father.

"There is no cure for this..." She said gently, "At least, not that I'm aware of."

"You can't fix it?"

"No..." She looked at him, "They're calling it Geostigma. It's been on the news lately. Nobody has a cure..."

"How can that be?"

"I don't know. I'm sure the ShinRa scientists are working on something... They'll be able to help before long..."

"ShinRa!" The man spat, turning sharply toward her, "As if this isn't their fault!" Aura blinked, moving slowly back. She knew her neighbourhood was filled with those who hated ShinRa, and clearly this man was one of them. "Every one of those bastards has something to answer for!" he continued, "If given half the chance I'd cut every one of their throats!"

Aura tried not to picture that. Red.

Blinking, she turned back to her cupboard and took out a small container.

"You'd best not put your hopes on ShinRa, girl." The man continued, looking at her, "Unless you work for 'em?"

"I look like I work for ShinRa, yo?" She snapped, pushing the container into his hands. "Here. This should be applied to the infected area twice a day. It will help with the pain."

She watched him look for the container to his son.

"The pain." He murmured.

"That's all that can be done... I'm sorry." She said softly.

"Yeah, thanks..." He replied. "How much?"

She closed her eyes. It didn't feel quite right to her, charging desperate people. Especially when she couldn't cure them. But she was running a business, and it cost her money to make the ointments they needed. She opened her eyes and looked at the boy. "Ten Gil." She said quietly. It would cost her nearly that much to buy what she'd need to make more of the ointment she was giving them, and she would need new gloves. It still hadn't been proven if touching those infected with Geostigma would result in infection, but she wasn't taking any chances.

The man handed her the money and picked up his son. She opened the door to let him out and watched as he headed down her path back onto the street. She then closed the door and went to the kitchen, getting some disinfectant. Then, heading back into her livingroom, she began to clean the table the boy had been laying on. Then, after a moment of consideration, she opened the door and cleaned that, too. When she was done, she took her gloves off and tossed them into the fire. She really needed to sort out a treatment room of some sort. Get a sterile environment happening, like some sort of lab. She almost laughed. The idea of her having a lab was ludicrous. A girl didn't go from the slums to having her own lab. Even with the way the world was changing lately. The best she could do was clear a space out to use for treating people who needed her help. Then she wouldn't have kids with Geostigma lying on the table she ate dinner off.

Sitting back on her couch, she took a sip of wine from her glass and wondered just how close ShinRa was getting with a treatment for Geostigma. If anyone was going to find a cure, it was going to be them. Maybe she could ask Reno about it. She bit her lip. She'd always avoided asking him anything too specific about ShinRa. She didn't want to pull at his divided loyalty more than she already did.

Making a face, she realised that she would fail in her promise to him to attempt to avoid the marketplace. She needed to go and get more gloves. If somebody brought another patient with Geostigma to her, she needed gloves to look at them. There was no avoiding that. It was unlikely anyway that he would even find out, so there was no need for him to worry. If he had any sense anyway, he'd avoid it himself. She shook her head. That wasn't the kind of sense Reno had. He'd always seem to run right toward wherever trouble was about to happen and it had always scared the shit out of her.

With all these attacks on ShinRa employees recently, Aura just hoped that Reno was being kept busy and off the streets. Surely all of ShinRa's employees were being kept off the streets as much as possible. Yet, still, everyday more were being attacked. Where were they finding them all?

She didn't want to know. She didn't want to think about it. It would just result in her lying awake at night worrying. If she asked him not to go back, would he stay? She closed her eyes and finished the rest of her wine. She wouldn't think about that either. She'd never do it.

Getting to her feet, she headed for her bedroom. The sooner she got some rest, the sooner she could get into town before all the morning crowds hit. In and out before anything could happen.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Tseng closed the file he'd been reading. Looking out the window of his office, he watched Reno, Rude and Elena leave the building and head toward Edge. He wished he was able to go with them. His three subordinates were being sent to make sure the situation at the Marketplace square was safe enough for Rufus to go in to make a speech to the residents of Edge. He would then accompany him in later. He hoped the day would go according to plan.

He mentally ticked off what they had to go through. Make sure the town was safe enough. Secure the area. Escort Rufus in and maintain his safety. (A task which was becoming more and more difficult lately.) And finally, if the opportunity presented itself (And when did a Turk fail to find an opportunity?) assassinate Hugo Barron, head of some jumped-up company that thought it could be the next ShinRa.

Hugo Barron had been using the public's feelings about ShinRa to further badmouth them, only resulting in further violence as he tried to make ShinRa look worse and paint his own company as the world's saviours. He was also supposed to be speaking today. If all went to plan, he'd never get to say another bad word about ShinRa.

* * *

Elena surveyed the crowd carefully. A lot of the people rushing around the square were just here for the markets. She supposed that when Rufus got up onto the makeshift podium that had been erected at one end of the square, they would stick around to listen, though. Even if it were just to jeer and throw things. She eyed a nearby fruit stall, wondering how much of the produce would end up splattered all over the podium.

She wondered if Rufus would still wear white.

Spotting Rude heading for her through the crowd, she walked toward him.

"All good?" She asked. He nodded silently. "There's more people here than I thought there'd be."

"Yeah."

"You guys done already?" Reno appeared beside them, grinning.

"Yeah, looks okay." Rude commented.

"Mmm. Any one of them could still be packin', though." The redhead replied. Elena looked at him. While he was still grinning, she noted that his strange aqua eyes were still very much searching the crowd, and that he was still very much alert and aware of what was going on around them.

"Okay to let the boss come?" she asked.

"Yeah" he nodded, "We'll keep an eye on them while the boss does his thing."

She nodded while Reno pulled out his phone and called Tseng to report. As she looked around again, she realised that people were starting to notice them and shoot them displeased looks. They were being recognised as ShinRa employees.

"Ugh..." She began as Reno slipped his phone back into his pocket.

"Yeah," he said, taking her elbow and pulling her along. "Time to move."

Reno led them to the other end of the square and they tried to look as inconspicuous as they could until Tseng and Rufus arrived. Elena was then sent into one of the small tents that had been erected for those who were to speak to get ready in. Giving Rufus' tent a quick onceover, she decided that it was safe enough for him and went back to report. She and Rude then followed him in while Tseng pulled Reno off somewhere else. Watching her two superiors disappear off into the crowd, she knew there was something else going on and wondered what it was. Reminding herself that if she needed to know, she would be told, she returned her focus to her actual job. She would protect Rufus at all costs.

* * *

"It's on?" Reno asked, looking to Tseng who nodded.

"The President wants Barron taken care of."

"'Kay." Reno nodded, squeezing between to middle aged women carrying large baskets. Tseng followed him.

"You'll do it."

"Thought as much."

"It can't look like we had anything to do with it." Tseng continued and Reno looked at him again. "It can't look professional."

"Got it."

Reno left Tseng and wandered the marketplace for a while, just waiting and looking around until he felt it was time. He'd use a knife he'd decided. If the killing couldn't look professional, then his EMR wasn't an option. Not every random person off the street could get their hands on one and it would definitely point their way. A knife, however. Everybody had access to knives. He could certainly make it look as if anybody had wandered into Barron's tent and killed him. He could make it look like random violence, or he could make it look gang related. He could make it look like whatever he wanted it to look like.

Pressing his hand to his hip, he felt his blade beneath his suit. This was going to be messy.

Before long, he found himself near Hugo Barron's tent. The man had a single guard outside the entrance and Reno gave a feral smile. The man had no idea what he was getting himself into, saying all the shit he had been about ShinRa. Only an idiot would try that and post a single guard to protect himself.

"And that's why you're a dead man." He murmured, moving around the side of the tent. Slipping a kid a few Gil, Reno bought himself a quick diversion nearby and when the guard wandered off like a moron to sort it out, Reno slipped inside.

Inside, there was a short passage up the centre of the tent with a large room on either side. A quick glance into the first one revealed a dressing room complete with wardrobe and vanity with a large ornate mirror. It was empty. Reno turned and moved to the second room.

The second room was much the same, but this one contained a large table in the centre, laden with plates of fruit. Sitting with his back to Reno was a large, round, man. Even from behind, Reno recognised him immediately as Hugo Barron. He moved silently forward. Barron's thinning silver hair was plastered down across his head in an obvious attempt at making it look like he had more hair than he did. Reno was sure he'd die if his hair ever looked like that.

Blinking, he forced his attention away from the man's hair. Slipping his knife out from beneath his suit he came to stand behind Barron, who was still fully focused upon his food and completely unaware that he was no longer alone. Reno had always been swift and silent; skills that had proven invaluable to him time and time again, both in service of ShinRa and before that, in the slums. People never knew he was there until he wanted them to. It made him extremely effective at missions of this sort.

With quick, deft, movements, Reno yanked Hugo Barron's head back with his right hand and slit the man's throat easily with the knife in his left hand. He watched as Barron's eyes widened in shock and fat hands came up to clamp at the wound in order to try and stem the flow of blood. Stepping back, Reno watched as Barron stumbled to his feet and turned to him. He had to give it to the guy, most people were on the ground by now, bleeding out helplessly. He knew the wound he'd given the man was fatal and there was nothing that the old guy could do to save himself, so he watched calmly, as he stumbled about the place. Eventually he came at Reno, grabbing a handful of Reno's suit before collapsing to his knees at his feet. Reno stepped back, watching as he fell onto his face and was still.

Casting a quick look around the tent, Reno decided that the messy trail of blood worked in his favour as it made the kill look even more amateur. Striding to the table he knocked a few pieces of fruit onto the floor for good measure and then moved quickly to the side of the tent, running his hand gently over the rough canvas before slicing roughly down it with the knife until there was a slit big enough for him to step through. Without looking back, he stepped easily back out into the marketplace and disappeared back into the crowd.

* * *

Aura swore softly to herself when someone jostled her roughly as she moved through the market, trying to find the small shop that sold the gloves she needed. There were so many people. She'd woken up later than she had planned to and so hadn't gotten into town as early as she had hoped. As a result, the place was packed. Even on the busiest market days, there were never this many people. She supposed a heap of them had come to listen to the speeches that were due to start soon. She had hoped to be home by then. With the attacks against ShinRa employees she didn't fancy being around when Rufus Shinra was talking, especially as that other guy was meant to be here, too. The round one. The one who had been blaming ShinRa for everything shit to happen to the planet in the last forty years. It was like the guy was asking to start a riot. She wanted to be long gone when that went down.

"Ow! Watch where you're goin', yo!" She growled when some guy around her age nearly knocked her over, hurrying past. The guy didn't stop to so much glance in her direction and she scowled, trying to force her way over to the edge of the market square to seek some shelter from the crushing weight of the growing crowd. Finding a small space between the doors to two stores, Aura leaned against the brickwork and looked around the square. People were hurrying around, moving in all directions. She'd just begun to wonder what could have gotten them that excited when she heard a snippet of a nearby conversation.

"Dead! Killed. Hugo Barron, that's right. Had his throat cut not twenty minutes ago! Right here!"

Aura turned to try and see whose conversation she was listening to, but that only resulted in getting herself swept back into the crowd and a moment later she was being moved along helplessly. She tried to get out of the crowd, but she was too short and slight to have any effect over which way the crowd was surging. She did not want to be here. If someone had killed Barron, here, today... with Rufus ShinRa around, then it was only a matter of time before a whole lot of shit went down. The last place she wanted to be when that happened was in the middle of a crowd with no way of escape. She'd be trampled to death at best.

A few moments later, Aura realised that she'd been swept along nearly to the makeshift podium that had been erected for the speeches. It was here the crowd seemed to stop surging, as if they had gone still, waiting for something. Going up on her toes, she saw a man in a white suit climbing the steps to the podium and a moment later realised that it was Rufus Shinra himself.

A flash of red nearby caught her attention and she spotted Reno standing near Rufus Shinra up on the podium next to a shorter woman with blonde hair. On the other side of the ShinRa President was a large, solidly built, bald man and a slim, exotic looking, man with long black hair. Her eyes wandered over them for only a moment before going back to Reno.

She took in the straight way he was holding himself, and her eyes moved over the suit he was wearing. She watched him attempt to close his suit jacket over some sort of stain on the white undershirt, and then she knew instantly and without doubt just who had killed Hugo Barron. A single word forced its way into her mind. _Turk_.

That couldn't be right. She shook her head slightly. Turks were ruthless and cold. They were ShinRa's assassins. They did whatever they were told without question and they had no morals.

That coudn't be what ShinRa had hired Reno for.

She'd known they'd recruited him because he was resourceful and clever... She blinked again, that was exactly what a Turk needed to be. Resourceful and clever.

But her Reno was no killer. ...was he?

* * *

Reno watched Rufus wave to the crowd a bit while they waited for the hour to close. At eleven sharp, the President would begin his speech. He wondered vaguely what the blond man would say to convince the world that ShinRa had nothing to do with Hugo Barron's death. Looking back to the crowd, he tried to read the faces of those looking at Rufus. After a moment however, he froze when he noticed one of the faces wasn't looking at Rufus, but at him. His heart hit his stomach when he realised it was Aura.

He lost sight of her when Elena shouldered past him and threw herself at someone rushing up the stairs. Turning, he caught a glimpse of silver as she knocked a blade from the person's hands as she wrestled them to the ground. Rude was suddenly there, and had pulled the guy to his feet and dragged him back down the stairs while Elena got slowly to her own feet, picking up the knife as she went.

"Damn, Laney." He said, smiling. "Well done..."

"Thanks." She replied, and he noticed the faint blush spread across her cheeks as she tucked the knife into her waistband.

"Yes..." Rufus said, drawing the attention of them both as he stepped toward them. "Thank you, Elena."

"Not a problem, Sir." She said softly, and Reno watched her look to Tseng who inclined his head ever so slightly in her direction. Looking back to the stairs again, Reno was almost disgusted with himself. How had he not noticed some maniac with a knife rushing up toward them? If Elena hadn't spotted him... He didn't want to think about what could have happened. At least she'd gotten to prove herself, though. In front of the President, no less.

He wouldn't let himself get distracted like that again. Why was Aura here, though? He searched for her again in the crowd, finding her within seconds. She was still staring at him. He realised that she'd never seen him in uniform before and he suddenly felt slightly self conscious.

Why was she even here? She'd promised that she wouldn't come! He frowned.

* * *

Aura watched Reno frown as he looked at her. She just stared back. What the hell had she just seen? That blonde woman had moved so quickly, jumping on a man that Aura hadn't even seen until he was being tackled to the ground. The guy had had a knife. Had he seriously just been trying to attack Rufus Shinra? In front of half of Edge?

That was just stupidity.

She blinked, looking at Reno who was suddenly glancing around as if uneasy.

The explosion knocked half the town off their feet. Aura's eyes went wide and she watched as debris rained down on the podium. The man with long dark hair threw himself over Rufus Shinra and she watched Reno pull the blonde woman to the ground, shielding her as chunks of concrete and steel fell around them.

The second explosion sent pieces flying into the crowd. Something struck Aura across the face and she found herself on her knees, her ears ringing. Pressing a hand to her cheek, she frowned when it came away bloody. Blinking back the tears of pain that welled in her eyes, she forced herself to her feet before she got trampled, and looked around. She could already see the bodies of those who were dead, and as people began to get to their feet, panic began to set in among the general populace.

Screams went up and people began to run. Deciding her best course of action was to get out of there, Aura headed for the side of the market square. She was knocked off her feet three times before she got there, but she made it without further injury. Well, without further serious injury. She'd lost some skin off her hands and knees, but she would deal with that later.

Coughing as the fire from the explosions took hold and smoke began to fill the square, Aura turned to look desperately up at the podium. She couldn't see anything. Hurrying closer, she stopped, watching, as the dark haired man helped President Shinra to his feet. She held her breath then as she waited for Reno to get up.

* * *

Reno groaned and swore. He pushed himself to his knees and off Elena who looked slightly dazed.

"Okay, Rookie?" he murmured.

"Mm." She replied, rubbing her head as she sat up. Reno got to his feet, blinking as smoke stung his eyes. Moving toward the edge of the podium, he looked out over the chaos. People were screaming and running, bodies strewn everywhere. There had to be at least a hundred of them.

His breath caught in his throat as he looked for Aura. She wasn't where she'd been before. Nearly stumbling off the edge of the podium, he looked around almost frantically. Eventually he found her, over by the shops on the right, standing amidst the smoke, looking back at him. Reno had been about to jump down off the podium in order to get over to her when Elena seized his arm and yanked him backward.

"What are you doing? We have to go!" She said, dragging him back.

"No..." he muttered, pulling free.

"Reno! The President!" She said sharply. Reno stopped. His job was Rufus. Aura was alive and even standing on her own two feet. She would be fine. He would get Rufus back to Healin and then he'd go and make her tell him exactly why she had done what she'd promised him she wouldn't.

* * *

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***Substitutions can be made for Tseng or Elena. (Rufus is currently unavailable.)**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

"It wasn't meant to kill us." Reno said, looking at Rufus when they were back at Healin Lodge and sitting in the President's office.

"What?" Elena asked, "They tried to blow us up."

"No." Tseng agreed with Reno, "They didn't."

"What...?"

Reno watched Elena frown in confusion.

"They could have actually blown us up." He told her. "Instead, the first explosion came from three floors up in the building behind us. It was made to look good. Sure, it threw shit all over us, but it did no real damage. Not to us. The second one... that was meant to kill, but not us." He looked at her, "That was meant to kill some of the crowd, just as it did..."

"But..." Elena frowned, "Why?" she looked to Tseng.

Tseng shook his head and it was Rufus who answered.

"It doesn't matter why." He said, "We can use it to our own advantage. We can blame them for Barron's death and the bombing. We can unite with the public against them, and make everyone see once more just how much they need ShinRa."

Reno watched Rufus fiddle with the sleeves of his suit, pulling the cuffs down over his hands. Though Rufus had said nothing about it to them, they all knew his Geostigma was getting worse. He was going out in public less and less and there was nothing they could do to help him. Yet. He knew they'd find something. They had to.

When Rufus had released them from their debriefing, Reno headed straight back to Edge and to Aura's house. He stalked up the road and to her door, not even bothering to have changed out of his uniform. Knocking sharply on her door, he waited impatiently. The door opened slowly and he pushed in. Aura stepped back hastily, out of his way. He swung the door shut behind himself and turned to look at her. She watched him silently, warily. His frustration vanished the moment he saw the cut across her cheek and he moved forward, backing her into the wall as he checked her over.

"Aur... You're bleeding. Are you okay?" his hands moved from her shoulders to her chin, tilting her face up gently so he could better see the cut. It wasn't too deep, but would probably leave a light scar. "What were you doing? Why were you there? You promised me that you wouldn't go!"

She slapped his hands away from her and she moved away from him. He watched her eyes look him over slowly. After a moment, she spoke.

"You're a Turk, aren't you?"

Reno swallowed thickly. "... Yes."

"An assassin."

"Sometimes."

"You killed Hugo Barron."

He nodded silently.

She moved around slowly, not taking her eyes off him. He watched, scared of what she might do next. He'd often wondered what she would do if she learned what he was. Would she accept it, or would she tell him to leave and never come back? If she did, would he be able to? He didn't know.

"... Are you hurt?" she asked softly.

"No." He shook his head and she moved closer. He held his breath, watching her.

"Are you... good at it?"

He nodded again.

"Of course you are." She murmured, running a hand through her hair, "You're resourceful and clever..."

"Aur..." he began, but fell silent when she shook her head.

"No, Reno..." she said gently, "Don't explain..."

"But-"

"No." She repeated, moving closer. "You don't have to."

Reno blinked, staring at her. "Why?"

"Haven't we always done whatever we had to to survive?" She asked before she let out a soft breath, "This is no different."

He was silent until she went up on her toes and threw her arms around his neck. Wrapping his own arms around her waist, he closed his eyes in relief. "I thought you'd hate me..."

"I could never hate you. No matter what you did."

Reno bit his lip to silence any confessions that might slip out. He wasn't too sure about that.

"Besides," Aura murmured, "Now I can worry less about any random idiot jumping you on the street and managing to stab you. Turks are properly trained..."

"Yes. We are." He agreed.

"Of course, you can still be blown up..." She replied.

Placing his hands firmly on her hips, Reno moved her back from him gently. "Speaking of... Why were you in the Marketplace today when you told me you would stay away?"

"I needed gloves." She replied evenly.

"You could have been killed."

"So could you..." she retorted, remembering the way debris had fallen onto the podium, and the way he'd pulled that blonde woman down. "Who's the blonde chick?"

"What?"

"She was standing with you on the podium. I saw you pull her down."

"Oh, Elena." He said, sitting on the armrest of her couch. "She's our Rookie... Well, not really a Rookie anymore... but I still like to call her that... It annoys her."

He watched Aura blink. "I see."

"Yeah..."

"Was your President hurt?"

"No." He stretched lightly. "None of us were..."

"Most of the crowd weren't that lucky." She murmured, sinking down onto the couch herself.

"I can see that..." he took hold of her chin again to have another look at the cut across her cheek. She eyed him ruefully. "Do you have a Potion or something for this?"

"No..." She said softly, "Maati has said he'll bring some stuff back for me from Junon... But things are getting hard to come by, like I told you before..."

"Have you at least cleaned it?"

"Not yet... I just got home before you started pounding on the door..."

"What took you so long?"

"... I was helping people."

"Oh." He went through the pockets of his suit. Turks usually carried a small medical kit for emergencies. He rarely used it, but he hoped there would be something of use in it. Opening it up, he looked at the various items. It wasn't quite the same as the kits the other Turks carried as when Reno had first joined ShinRa he'd discovered that he had some pretty nasty reactions to some of the common medicines that were used above the plate. The ShinRa doctors had put that down to him coming from under the plate. Apparently, most of the people born in the slums had been affected in some way by their close and constant contact with mako waste. As most of the drugs in the slums were cut with mako, and Reno's own mother was a junkie, he guessed he'd been messed up by her. Though he'd never touched the stuff himself, his blood was still different to people from above the plate. The first time he'd been given something to help with pain relief back when he'd still been in training, he'd ended up having seizures. It had taken several similar incidents before the doctors had even worked out what was happening.

Looking at Aura, he wondered if she would be the same. Then, remembering the night he'd first met her, he figured she probably would be.

* * *

_It was early evening when seventeen year old Reno had wandered down a fairly empty street, absently looking for something to entertain himself with. Feeling a slight chill, he pulled the collar of the awesome new jacket he'd won in a bet up to protect his neck and looked over his shoulder when a nearby light flickered out. It had been an alright day, he had to admit. At least tonight he would have something to eat and drink. That couldn't be said for every day._

_He'd just decided to give up and go home, well, back to the room in some dilapidated shack that he called home, when he heard a scuffle down a nearby side alley. At first, assuming it was a prostitute earning herself some money, he'd dismissed it and was already walking past when he heard the cry for help._

_Pleas for help weren't uncommon in the slums, and if one expected to last more than a few days, one did not go racing off to answer those cries. But, the sound of deep voices followed by a young female shriek had him frowning and then, against his better judgement, he headed down the alley to see what was going on._

_When he'd gotten far enough into the alley, Reno stopped, taking in the scene before him. Two men who looked to be middle aged were holding a struggling girl against the alley wall._

"_What's up, yo?" he asked when one of the men had turned to look at him._

_The girl chose that moment of distraction to kick the guy in the shin, forcing him to let her go. She'd taken two steps away when the other man had swung her back around and into the wall again. Reno looked at her when she snarled. She looked only a few years younger than him. Fifteen, maybe. She had thick dark hair that resembled a birds nest, messed wildly about her pale face and wide green eyes. He could see that even in the dark of the alley, and that's what really caught his attention._

"_What do you want?" the larger of the men snapped at Reno._

"_Just... heard the commotion."_

"_That's a big word for a slum rat."_

_Reno blinked._

"_Ro, maybe he likes to watch..." The second man snickered. _

"_Ah..." Reno nodded, "So you fellas come down here to find women..." he looked at the girl, "Or, girls..."_

"_Younger ones make more money." The first grunted, looking back to his mate who pulled a syringe out of his pocket and started preparing it. It was then that Reno understood. They'd come down here to find some young thing to inject with whatever shit was in that needle, and turn her into a mako whore. They'd get her hooked on the stuff and have her whore herself out to make them money in return for her fix. Involuntary images of his mother whoring herself for her own fix flashed through his mind and he clenched his teeth._

_The girl whimpered and tried kicking at the man holding her when the one with the needle advanced on her. "No!" She cried, "You can't!"_

"_Hold her, Ro!"_

"_What's it look like I'm doin', Jace?" Ro snapped back._

"_For Shiva's sake!" Jace muttered, grabbing the girl and driving his knee up hard into her stomach. The girl choked and collapsed down on her hands and knees._

_Reno didn't remember making the decision to act, but he'd grabbed a random piece of something from the piles of garbage in the alley and struck Ro across the head with it. The big man let go of the girl and turned to face him, snarling. Reno was ready. He knew how to fight. He'd left his mother when he was twelve and he'd been on his own since. He wouldn't have been alive if he didn't know how to fight. He'd always been fast and that had always served him well against big guys like Ro. That didn't stop Ro from knocking him sideways into the wall, though._

_Stumbling, Reno looked past the big man to see Jace on top of the girl, his knees pinning her shoulders to the ground as he held one hand above her head. Reno heard her screaming in outrage and he heard as the scream turned panicked when the syringe was pushed into her arm. Turning again, Reno threw himself at Ro and after a series of well practiced quick movements, the big man lay unconscious on the ground. _

_He hated these bastards. As if the people living down here didn't have a hard enough life without being turned into addicts for someone else's profit. These men were the worst kind of scum. They used a person up until they were too broken to even lay on their backs to earn them money, and then they tossed them back into the gutter with no way to support themselves or even feed their addiction. These men and women usually died within days._

_Striding forward, Reno picked something else up from the piles of garbage and then swung it as hard as he could at Jace's head. With a sickening crack, the man slumped sideways off of the girl. Reno kicked him further away. Then, clenching and unclenching his hands, he looked down at the girl._

_She lay on her back, her breathing panicked and rapid. "You okay?" he asked._

_She didn't reply, her head moving from side to side as if she were looking for something as her breathing became more erratic._

"_Hey..." he knelt down to her. "Are you-" he broke off when he caught sight of her face. He eyes were glazed. "Shit..." he muttered, laying a hand on her arm. He frowned when he realised that she was ice cold. "Hey..." He said loudly, taking her chin in one hand and making her look at him. Her skin was already clammy and as he felt a shudder run through her he knew what the problem was. Dirty mako._

"_Cheap bastards." He muttered._

_Aside from getting addicted to the mako in the drugs in the slums, users ran the risk of getting something cut with dirty mako. The offcuts that ShinRa deemed unclean or not good enough to use and had discarded were often used to cut various drugs under the plate. If an addict didn't end up dying from on overdose, they usually died from a bad reaction to dirty mako. He'd seen it time and time again. Apparently Ro and Jace had gone for the cheap option in finding a new investment and had injected this girl with something cut with dirty mako. _

"_Shit." he muttered again._

"_Don't..." She whimpered._

"_No, you're okay." He told her, unsure if she could even hear him. She convulsed and he looked around, not knowing what to do. There was nobody to go and find who could help. Probably nobody who even would help. He was on his own. Like usual. "What's your name?" he asked, again not sure she could hear him._

_The girl blinked, shuddering visibly as the dirty mako made its way through her system. He watched her try to focus on him. "A-Aura." She forced out with clear effort._

"_Okay, Aura..." he looked around again, "I'm not going to hurt you, okay? I'm going to take you somewhere. Somewhere safer."_

_He doubted that she was even aware of him as he picked her up and carried her home. Then, laying her on the thin mattress that he slept on on the floor, he bit his lip. She was now shaking nearly continuously. The only thing he knew was that people who had taken dirty mako needed to be kept warm. That made sense as she was freezing cold to the touch. Taking his jacket off, he draped it over her. Then, looking around he found the two thin blankets that he had and also put them over her. He then sat down beside the mattress to watch her._

_After an hour or so, she looked at him, and he realised that she was actually seeing him. "What... what's your name...?" she asked between chattering teeth._

"_Reno."_

_She simply nodded, or, Reno thought it was a nod, though it was hard to tell with the way she was shaking, and then her eyes closed again. He watched as convulsions shook her._

_Then, knowing what he needed to do, Reno shuffled closer and slipped under the blankets. Carefully, he wrapped himself around the girl he didn't know and held her tightly as the convulsions continued to rip thorough her and she shivered continuously until morning._

* * *

Yeah, Reno was fairly certain that Aura would have similar reactions to common medicine from above the plate. Luckily, his kit had been made for him and would likely work just as well for her.

"Drink this." He handed her a small vial and decided not to mention what he'd just been remembering. He guessed she'd been reminded of it only too recently when they'd seen that junkie not long ago.

"What is it?"

"An antibiotic."

"Oh." She unstoppered the vial and swallowed it obediently. "Ugh. Nasty."

"But it'll stop you getting an infection."

"Mhmm." She handed him the empty vial back and he returned it to his kit. "... What will happen with the situation at the marketplace? The ... bodies... and mess...?"

"It'll be taken care of."

"By ShinRa?"

"Yeah."

He looked at her as she stayed silent. After a moment he got up, "Come on." He said, "We'll clean that cut up and then I should get back..."

"I can do it."

"Yes, but you're going to let me do it." He answered, pulling her toward the bathroom. He ignored her slight huff and pulled what he needed from the bathroom cabinet. "Sit." He ordered, pointing at the edge of the bathtub.

"I'm not your damn rookie." She muttered, nevertheless doing as he instructed. Reno just grinned.

"I can see that."

He carefully cleaned the cut and patched it up before announcing himself "Done." He then put everything away and headed back down the hallway to the front door. Aura followed him silently.

"I'll come and see you in a few days." He told her softly. She nodded. "Take care of that cut."

"Okay."

He hugged her gently and then opened the door, stepping quickly out into the cooling evening air. That had gone better than expected. She didn't seem too phased about him being a Turk, though he suspected she might give it more thought if she knew all the things he'd done. There were things he couldn't forgive himself for. He huffed and walked faster, trying to keep his mind from thinking about Sector 7.

What was done was done. Nothing would change it.

Scratching at the dried blood on his shirt, he made a face. He really should get changed out of his uniform. Switching directions, he headed for home instead.

* * *

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	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Elena sighed as she reached for the next form she had to fill out. She never used to mind the paperwork, but now? Now, when there were hardly any of them left, and all four Turks had been present in the Marketplace as well as the President she was hard-pressed to see the point in a detailed report from each of them. Okay, so that was the way it had always been, and okay, Rufus was trying to get them up and running again, and yes, okay, she saw the point, but maybe her point was that she had saved Rufus right in front of Tseng and he'd still not said ten words to her!

Yeah, he'd given her an acknowledging nod and he'd sort of spoken to her when he'd agreed with Reno in the debriefing, but he'd still not come to her and said "Good work, Elena!"

Was that what she expected? She didn't always seek praise for everything she did. That wasn't the way she operated, but Tseng always acknowledged when they did something well. And she'd saved the president for cryin' out loud! Could he still be pissed about her getting drugged? She'd thought that if she proved she could do things right, that she would be forgiven. Wasn't saving Rufus enough? What more could she do?

Maybe she should talk to him? No... He clearly didn't want to speak to her.

She could make an official report? On what? The man she had feelings for wasn't giving her enough attention? She was probably already a joke to them.

Reno was just below Tseng in rank... could she bring it up with him? If she had a problem she was meant to take it to her superior. This fell under that, didn't it? She thought it did.

When Reno returned that afternoon, Elena asked to speak with him. He raised an eyebrow but nodded without a word. Twisting her hands, she looked at him. He remained silent and waited for her to speak. Looking around, Elena hoped that nobody could overhear.

"Elena." Reno eventually said, and once again she knew that she was speaking to her superior. Good. That was what she wanted.

"I..." she sighed.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

"Tseng..." she said, flailing her hands around, "Is... there a reason that he's still pissed at me? Have I done something wrong? He's barely looked at me in days! He relays orders through other people ... and if he has a problem with me, then he should just tell me so!"

Reno looked at her. "You've done nothing wrong, Elena." He finally said.

"Then why is he...?"

"I don't know."

She watched as his expression changed and then he smiled, "Don't worry, Laney." He ruffled her hair. "I'll sort it out."

She just nodded silently and Reno headed off toward his desk. Unable to sit still any longer, Elena headed down to the training room.

Reno sat at his desk, thinking. Tseng _had _been acting strangely toward Elena. He'd noticed it himself. He could understand why Elena had thought he was pissed at her, but he had no reason to be. Not only had Elena done nothing wrong, she'd been doing rather well lately. She'd probably saved Rufus from being attacked in the Marketplace. She should be feeling great about herself, not second guessing everything.

It must have taken Elena a bit to even come to him and say anything. He knew she hated to show any kind of weakness like that. He had to do something.

Not one to beat around the bush, Reno got to his feet. He'd just go and ask Tseng.

He knocked once on Tseng's office door before striding inside.

"Reno..." Tseng said without looking up. Reno moved forward, grinning at the fact that Tseng hadn't bit his head off for just walking in. Throwing himself casually into one of the chairs facing Tseng's desk he just looked silently at the dark haired man. "...Yes?" Tseng asked, looking up at him after a moment.

"So... Elena..." Reno began

"Oh, so you know?" Tseng sighed.

"Know what? That you've been acting like a jerk?"

"Excuse me?" One of Tseng's dark eyebrows raised slowly.

"You know you have."

"I may have been slightly distant..."

"Why?" Reno blinked when Tseng looked at him, "I'm only askin' cause there's a problem, yo."

"A problem."

"Yep. It's clear. Been obvious to me... and then Elena came to me, askin' what was goin' on."

Tseng sighed again.

"So...?" Reno leaned back in his chair, "What's your deal?" He watched as Tseng ran his hands over his face, sighing yet again. "Has she done something?"

"No." Tseng replied flatly.

"Didn't think so..."

"I just... I've been busy..."

"Mhmm..." Reno replied in a tone that told Tseng clearly that he wasn't buying that.

"She's not a rookie anymore..."

"I know that."

"She can take care of herself."

"We're a team."

"I know."

"Okay..."

Tseng nodded slowly. "Alright. I'll fix it."

"Excellent." Reno got to his feet, stretching. He grinned at Tseng and then strode for the door. He knew that Tseng had been making excuses but as long as the problem would now be fixed he figured it was all good. Elena would be happier and things would go back to normal. Throwing himself into the chair at his desk, he then grinned at Rude.

"Feeling good about yourself?" The big man asked him.

"Ultimate Peacekeeper." Reno replied, jabbing himself in the chest with his thumb. "That's right."

Rude smiled. "Whatever you think."

"It's proven."

"Okay."

"Where's Laney?"

"Dunno."

Making a face, Reno picked up his pen, eyeing the pile of paper on his desk. Not actually having anything else to do, and without Elena around for him to annoy, he might actually get bored enough to willingly do his paperwork. Casting one last hopeful look around the office, he sighed when nothing too interesting caught his attention, and then pulled the top piece of paper toward himself. There would be no more procrastination, at least for the moment.

* * *

Elena smiled as she patrolled one of the quieter streets in Edge. Reno had said he'd take care of the problem with Tseng and apparently he had. Tseng had come to her this morning himself to inform her of her new patrol route. With the frequent attacks on ShinRa employees, they'd given up their patrols in the centre of town and moved them to less busy areas to at least maintain some sort of presence. Feeling good, because Tseng was speaking to her again and because she got to spend the morning in the fresh air, she lengthened her stride to cross the street.

Before long, Elena found herself in a fairly narrow but well used laneway. Stuffed into every available space down the sides of the laneway were makeshift stalls selling everything from handmade jewellery to food. Liking the look of some of the fruit at a nearby stall, Elena stopped to look. A few minutes later she had selected a juicy looking piece and handed her money over. The old woman running the stall took it with a smile , looking her over.

"I'd be careful around here, love." She said. Elena tilted her head.

"What's going on?" She asked.

"Nothing out of the ordinary. But, in that suit, it's all too clear who and what you are..."

"Ah..." Elena nodded, looking around. It was then she noticed the looks people were sending her way. Looking back to the old woman, she nodded at her and continued slowly down the alley.

* * *

Aura put the bundle of herbs into her basket and moved along to the next stall. She'd been right in thinking she might be able to find some ingredients up this end of town that she hadn't been able to get in the main marketplace. She doubted she'd find them all, but some was better than none. She supposed for the rest she would have to wait and see if Maati managed to bring some back with him from his trip. Reno, too, she reminded herself. He'd said he would see what he could get for her.

She smiled at the woman who passed her her change and placed the next small bundle of herbs in her basket before moving further out of the alley into the main street. There were more people here than usual, perhaps as things were becoming more difficult to find in the centre of town. There was also the fact that more people were becoming afraid of another attack. As dodgy as this part of town was, even she felt more comfortable here than in the central marketplace lately.

Getting jostled by a passing group of young men, Aura backed into a nearby side alley and set her basket down. These tiny alleys were not meant for so many people. Taking advantage of her now cleared personal space, she leaned against the cool bricks and thought about what else she needed to buy as she tried to work up the motivation to head back out into the crowd. Looking around the corner back into the crowd she noticed the loud murmur that seemed to be spreading among them. Trying to work out what was happening, she scanned the crowd more quickly. After a few moments she spotted the blonde woman in the dark suit. Immediately recognising her as the woman she'd seen Reno with the other day she let out a small, "Ah."

It was then she heard the loud cry of "SHINRA BITCH!" followed by a gunshot.

* * *

It took a moment before Elena felt the pain. When it hit her, it nearly made her knees give out from beneath her. Looking down, she saw the blood begin to spread across her shirt and she just stared at it as if frozen. Around her, people were screaming and running as panic broke out. She was hit twice before a hand seized her arm and dragged her back out of the alley and into a smaller, narrower one. When her back hit the cold brick wall, she looked at the dark haired woman before her. Wide green eyes were running over her before looking up to meet her gaze.

"How bad are you hurt?"

"Uh..." Elena tried to get her brain working around the pain. Looking down again she pressed a hand to her shoulder. "Just my shoulder I think..." She forced out. She watched as the woman pulled out a knife and turned to face the entrance of their little alley. Not a moment later a broad shouldered man with blond hair came toward them.

"Here's the little ShinRa bitch..." he grinned. Elena tried to keep her face neutral as she looked at him. The dark haired woman put herself between them, knife held loosely in her hand in a way that had Elena taking another look at her.

"Just keep moving, yo." The woman murmured, following him back and forth with her knife. The blond man laughed, looking down at the woman before taking another step forward. He took a hasty step back when she had dashed forward and given him a deep cut across his chest. Swearing, he disappeared back into the crowd hurrying past their alley.

Remaining silent, Elena watched the dark haired woman turn back to her. "I'm Elena..." she said after a moment.

"Aura." She replied, wiping her knife on her dress.

Nodding, Elena looked her up and down again. "You're pretty alright with that knife."

"Thanks."

"You've been taught..."

"A bit."

"You know Reno...?" She watched as green eyes looked sharply at her.

"What?"

"Reno."

"... who?"

Elena gave a pained laugh. "Don't bother." She said, pressing her hand into her shoulder again. "The way you hold that blade is just like he does. It's weird." She looked at her, "Also, the way you talk..."

"... I talk like lots of people." Aura protested. "From a big place..."

"... And the way you looked at me when I said his name." She looked hard at her. "I'm trained to pick up on these things."

Aura swore. Elena laughed again, leaning back heavily against the wall.

"Wait here..." Aura murmured, before ducking out into the crowd. Elena closed her eyes for what felt like only a few seconds before she was being gently shaken. "Here..."Aura held a dress out to her. "You should ditch the suit."

"Mmm..." She nodded, trying to undo the buttons. She sighed when she realised that her hands were shaking too badly to manage alone. Without saying anything Aura moved forward and undid them for her. Bundling her shirt into a soft pad she pressed it against Elena's shoulder to stem the bleeding as she helped her into the dress. "What now?" she murmured, feeling rather light headed.

"My house is not too far..." Aura told her, slipping an arm around her waist. "Let's go..."

"Okay..."Elena nodded, trying her best to move with her as she dipped to pick up her basket in the other arm and they headed out into the now slightly less busy crowd.

* * *

Aura helped Elena sink down on to her couch. Watching the woman wince and bite her lower lip in pain she frowned. "I'll grab something for that..."

"Mm." Elena nodded, her eyes closed. Hurrying into her kitchen, Aura knelt by one of her cupboards and pulled out a few tubs of ointments. She was running low on supplies, but she still had some stuff that would help. Carrying a few tubs back into the other room, she knelt down by the couch and set them out where she could easily reach them.

"You got some towels or something?" Elena asked, "I don't want to get blood on your furniture..."

Aura nearly snorted in amusement. Her furniture was nothing special. Nevertheless, she got to her feet again and went to get some old towels. It wouldn't hurt to make Elena feel better. Returning a few moments later, she lay them out and helped the blonde woman settle over them. She then helped her pull the dress she was wearing off her wounded shoulder.

"Ugh." Elena grunted eyeing it ruefully. "It'll need work."

"Yeah... I..." Aura shook her head. "I can clean it and bandage it up..."

"Sure, thanks."

Opening one of her containers, she dipped her fingers into the cool ointment before gingerly applying it to the wound. Elena hissed, giving a sharp intake of breath.

"Sorry..."

"No... It's fine. Good." Elena nodded, closing her eyes. Aura worked silently cleaning the wound and then wrapping it in clean white bandage. When she was done, she got to her feet.

"Would you like something to drink?"

"Thanks." The tightness in Elena's voice made Aura frown in concern for a moment before heading back into her kitchen to get her something. Deciding that water was probably a better option than wine, she came back after a few moments and gave her a glass.

The blonde woman took it with a slightly trembling hand and took a sip. They both jumped when there was a loud knock on the door.

"Expecting someone?" Elena asked, looking toward the door. Aura shook her head and hurried over to open it, not bothering to check who it was. She blinked in surprise when Reno stood before her.

"Now, I know you didn't check like I told you..." he said, stepping inside. Aura was about to answer when he stopped suddenly "Elena? What the hell?"

"Uh..." She tried to think of something to say as she watched him notice the blood everywhere and quickly look Elena over.

"What happened?" he asked

"Someone shot me."

"How's the shoulder?"

"Could be worse."

"Why are you here?"

"-I helped her." Aura cut in, moving forward. "I saw it... and I brought her here..."

"You were there?"

"Yeah...people recognised her... Those damn suits you wear..." she looked him up and down, taking in the expensive material, "And someone shot her... and people went into a panic... so I brought her here..."

"And she fought off some guy with a knife..." Elena put in.

"You...what?" Reno looked from Elena back to Aura and she had barely blinked before he was right in front of her, moving her around to check her over. She slapped his hands away.

"Quit it!"

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, yo!"

* * *

"You're not hurt?" Reno's eyes looked her over again, and Aura shook her head. It was then his gaze snapped to Elena who stiffened at the sudden hostility in his eyes. He turned and moved around the end of the ocuch until he was standing before her. She couldn't suppress a shudder. He was looking at her the way she'd only ever seen him look at their targets. Like she was prey.

"Elena..."he said silkily. She felt her blood chill at the ice in his voice. "Whose idea was it to bring you here?"

She looked at Aura.

"Relax" she said through gritted teeth, "I won't tell."

"Swear." There was no silky ice in Reno's voice now, nor anger or even his usual cockiness. His voice was flat and humourless.

She nodded, "I swear."

Reno changed immediately. His face seemed less harsh and the hostility was gone from his eyes within moments.

"Laney... you've taken a hell of a shot by the looks of it." He looked at her shoulder, "Can I see?"

"Yeah..." she nodded and he moved closer, kneeling on the couch with on knee to balance himself as he bent over. She clenched her teeth in pain as he carefully peeled away the bandaging to look at the wound.

"Yeah, you'll definitely have to see Zena."

"I know." She groaned.

"That'll teach you to try and pick fights on your own."

She looked at him and he smiled, replacing her bandage gently. She watched him look back to Aura and smile again. "Thanks for takin' care of my rookie, Aur."

"Sure."

She watched them continue to just look at one another and it was clear they were communicating non-verbally. She didn't have any idea what they were saying. She had seen Reno communicate like that with Rude on occasion, but she'd never been able to get in on those conversations either.

Now, tired and in pain, it irritated her.

"When you two are finished staring at each other, you think maybe I could put a coat on or something?"

Reno blinked at her and shrugged out of his suit jacket before helping her get it around her shoulders.

Aura mumbled something and headed back into the kitchen. Elena blinked, watching the doorway. She could have sworn she'd seen the girl blush.

"Ah..." she breathed, looking back to Reno. "She's your girlfriend..."

She'd never before seen the look that crossed his face then.

"No." He replied.

"Then who is she?"

"My friend – family." He said quietly, "The only one of either I had."

"Oh." She tilted her head "So you hid her..."

"So I hid her."

"Why?"

The look he gave her then made her feel as if she'd just dribbled down her own shirt.

"Because, Laney." He replied after a moment. "I was ordered to cut all ties with my life before ShinRa."

She nodded. She understood that. The recruits they took from the streets had to be carefully assessed and profiled. It wouldn't do to bring someone in, give them all the inside information on the company and then find out they would sell it to the highest bidder. ShinRa employees had to be trustworthy, and to make sure of that, ShinRa had to be the most important thing in their lives, if not the only thing.

The fact that Reno had hidden a secret like this was huge. She knew that he was loyal to ShinRa. He loved the company. Anybody with half a neuron knew that, but hiding Aura? What did that mean?

"But still?" she asked, "I mean, I get why you did it back then... things were different before... but now? I don't think it'd matter now..."

"I won't risk that." He stood straight, looking down at her.

"Rufus woudn't-"

"Elena!" he snapped, "No!"

"Kay..." she blinked, then watched as he strode into the kitchen.

* * *

Aura was washing an empty container when Reno came into the kitchen looking stressed. "What is it?" she asked, "Is Elena okay?"

"Yeah," he nodded, "She's fine. Thanks."

She nodded back, just watching him as he ran a hand through his messy hair. "Reno..."

"mm?"

"Are you annoyed that I brought her here?" she asked, "I mean, I know you went through so much to make sure they never knew about me... all the precautions and rules... and ..." she broke off and just looked at him.

"No." He replied, moving toward her. "I can't tell you how glad I am. She could have died." He wrapped his arms around her and Aura hugged him. "It turned out okay." He was silent for a moment before adding "I have something for you."

Aura stepped back when he released her and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a small pouch and handed it to her. Money. She looked at him. Knowing what he did now to earn the money he gave her, Aura shook her head. "I... I don't need this." She told him. He frowned. She bit her lip. She didn't want it. It was blood money.

Reno ran a hand through his hair again as he looked at her, and Aura could tell that he knew exactly what she was thinking. She tried to hand the pouch back, but he closed her hand around it. "Please." He breathed, stepping closer to her, but she still had to strain to hear him. "Please. I need to know that some good comes of it."

Her eyes lifted back to his face and upon taking in the tight expression he wore she nodded. "Okay." She replied softly, "I could always use more glass vials..."

"Thank you" he murmured, pressing a quick kiss to her forehead. "I should get Elena looked at." He said, stepping back from her a moment later.

"Yeah." She agreed. He nodded and headed back into the living room. Aura followed, watching as he lifted the blonde woman off the couch into his arms.

"I can walk..." she heard Elena say.

"And this will be faster." Reno replied, heading for the front door. "Or would you prefer we spend another hour stumbling around?"

Moving forward, Aura opened the front door for them.

"See you, Aur." He said, smiling at her as he carried Elena out.

"Thank you." Elena turned her head as they passed and met Aura's gaze.

"Sure." She nodded. She watched silently then as Reno carried her down the path and back onto the street. Then turning, she headed back inside and over to her couch. Bending, she pulled up one of the loose floorboards and dropped the pouch Reno had given her into the space beneath it. She may have taken his blood money, but she wouldn't use it. Reno had needed her to take it, and so she had. She didn't have to rely on it however. She made enough on her own now to get by without it if she was careful.

It was clear to her that it was important to him to feel as if she needed the money he brought. At first she had. She wouldn't take that from him. It was clearly something he clung to. She wondered what else he used to deal with the things he did for ShinRa. Involuntarily, Elena's face flashed through her mind and Aura got quickly to her feet. She supposed that was feasible. People working alongside one another in those kinds of situations would have all kinds of ways they dealt with things together. Huffing, and trying to get those mental images out of her head, she stepped on the loose floorboard to get it back in place and then wandered back into the kitchen to clean up some more. She refused to think about such things anymore. Though, maybe she could find out more about it next time she saw Reno... perhaps.


End file.
